Saints and Sinners
by Haitus80
Summary: AU. Carol manages to tear herself away from the violence of her husband but eventually finds herself in the middle of a world gone crazy. Something bad is happening and she believes that her own survival, and the survival of her friends, is balancing on the whims of three brutal and bickering rednecks.
1. Chapter 1

**Here we go again. I've already told some of you that I was going to try my hand at writing an AU. I'm not sure how good it's going to be but I promise I will give it my all. Hopefully it's a success! So read on and let me know what you think! So far I've had fun with it. It's kind of taking off like the last one did! I hope you like it! And just a reminder to those of you that don't know me or my writing well, I never know how long a story will be. Ever. So this could end up being a normal ff story or a ridiculously long piece of writing. So, no complaints if it gets to much for you because you have been warned ;) I also realized that I can not please everyone! And until I start getting paid for writing it or you start getting charged for reading it, I'm not going to try too! I hope to see some familiar faces! Thank you all for reading. XD**

Chapter One

Carol wrapped her arms around herself to try to ward off the chill. The night was typical for Georgia. Hot and humid. The chill was internal and she knew it would take a long time to rid herself of it completely. She should have known better than to get the dog but he had made her feel safe for a little while.

"Mrs. P..." The police officer began, but she interrupted him.

"Mason. It's Ms. Mason." She corrected before the man could utter her soon-to-be-ex husbands last name.

The two men shared a look. This was not the first time she had met them. The first time had been at the hospital where she had stayed a few days after the first time Ed had beaten her. She would meet them again a few months later, the second time that she had landed in the hospital. This would be their third time.

Officer Walsh looked at her from under a heavy brow. "Look, Carol." He said in a low voice, "Officer Grimes and I, we know who did this. But we can't go arrest him for it. No one saw him do it."

She was surprised to hear him use her first name. It almost made her sick to think that she had dealt with them so much that she knew them this personally. She hid her distress under a steady gaze. She was done cowering. She lifted her chin a fraction of an inch and then nodded. "I know you can't arrest him for it. I still had to call. I should have known better than to think that a dog would deter him."

"Do you think he'll show back up tonight?" Officer Grimes asked.

"Probably not. I'll be fine. Thank you both for coming. And for... cleaning up." She tried to make her voice strong but it wasn't working. She was terrified Ed would show back up but there was nothing they could do about it. Deep down he was a coward anyway. He would be too afraid of getting caught. She hoped.

Neither man looked as though they wanted to leave but they couldn't stand there all night.

"Do you have anyone that you might be able to stay with for a few days?" Officer Walsh asked. "I know that the last time we spoke to you you didn't have any family or any close friends but maybe now, since Ed hasn't been around, you've made some met some people or something?"

She was touched by the amount of concern these two men were showing. They were the good guys in her book. Not all cops were, but these two were great. "I haven't gotten out much." She said with a soft smile for both of them. "But I think he just wanted to scare me tonight. He'll know that you've been here. I'm sure I'll be fine."

They both still looked indecisive. Officer Grimes cleared his throat. "I can call my wife and tell her what's going on. I think you two would really hit it off. Maybe you could come to my house tonight and..."

Carol held up a hand. "No. No thank you. Really, I'll be fine." There was no way she was going to impose on anyone. She really did believe he would stay away. At least tonight. He wouldn't act again for a little while. She was silently reassuring herself.

They glanced at each other again before both sets of eyes landed on her. Officer Walsh gave her a lopsided smile. "I get off in an hour. I'm gonna park my squad car right outside. I ain't got a wife so it wouldn't be very appropriate to invite you home. But I'll be here."

Carol looked between them with wide eyes. He couldn't be serious. "You can't do that."

"On the contrary, ma'am. I can. You go on back inside. Keep this place locked up tight." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. Officer Grimes handed him a pen. He scribbled something on the back of it and handed it to her. "This is my cell number. Anything happens you call the station and then you call me."

She stared at the card for a little while. God, these men must really pity her to be offering so much. This town was small, that was something she wasn't used too. She had moved here from Atlanta a few years ago to take care of her grandmother after her grandfather had passed away. That was when she had met Ed. She was used to big city cops. They were desensitized by the harshness they dealt with on such a large scale. These small town guys were much different.

Officer Grimes cleared his throat. "Look, you've done all the right things here. You've gotten your restraining order. As soon as we catch him violating it, we're going to do everything we can to see that he gets put away a while."

She looked up and couldn't help the sad look she knew was in her eyes. The problem with that was, the next time he broke that restraining order, she probably wasn't going to be alive long enough to report him. But she kept all of that to herself, thanked the two men, and then headed back inside.

She locked all of the locks on the door and then leaned her back against it. The house was too big for her to secure. Her grandmother had left it to her when she had passed away and it was too much for just her. There was still a mortgage to be paid and that was too much too. Keeping it cool in the hot Georgia summers and warm during the cold Georgia winters was also too much. And just today she was informed that she was no longer employed.

She had met Ed two and a half years ago. He was the first person she met as soon as she had gotten to town. He had been working on a friends lawn mower, who just happened to live next door to this very house. They had struck up a conversation over the fence right away. He had been sweet and charming and she had instantly fallen for those charms. He had asked her out and she had declined. He wasn't one to give up easily. After a few weeks she had figured that she had talked to him enough to know that he was an okay guy. Her grandmother had approved when he showed up with flowers, actually asking permission from the old woman, to take her granddaughter out. Carol had been floored.

Six months later they were married and six months after their marriage was when he had started hitting her. As soon as they had married he had changed. He was cruel with his words at first but that quickly got old for him. She still had trouble believing that she had fallen for all of his crap. When her grandmother died, leaving her everything, she finally left him. But she was definitely not rid of him.

She made her way through the house, double checking the locks on the windows. She even went through the three bedrooms upstairs and double checked. The house was locked up tight. She shut her bedroom door, locking it behind her. She didn't turn on any lights. She went straight to her bed and plopped down gracelessly onto her back.

She figured now would be a good a time as any to feel sorry for herself. She had no one else to blame for the way her life had turned out. She had had big plans for herself before meeting Ed. She had dreamed of going to college. She wanted to experience everything she could while she was young. She wanted a career first, something in the medical field, then she wanted to meet the man of her dreams, get married and then start a family. She had all of her ducks in a row. She had a plan. And then here came Ed, kicking her ducks and derailing every detailed plan she had. And she had been stupid enough to let him.

How had she not seen that horrible man for who he really was? Now she was twenty four, broke, unemployed and was going through a messy divorce. She had very little in the bank, no job skills to speak of and more bills than she could ever pay.

Ed had been the one who insisted on handling everything once they were married. He worked, he paid the bills, he bought their house and their car. He had done it all while she happily kept an immaculate house and learned every recipe she could, just to try to keep the bastard happy. She was so ashamed of herself. Ashamed for falling for his lies. Ashamed of enduring his abuse. And most of all she was ashamed of losing herself. She had become a woman that she didn't even know and she was paying for it now.

After a while she pulled herself from her misery long enough to peek out the curtained window that looked down on the quiet street below. True to his word, there was officer Walsh's car, right out in front of her house. Instead of feeling relief she felt guilty. This poor man was going to spend the whole night sitting there guarding her. Why couldn't she have fallen for a man like that? A man that was willing to lose sleep and comfort just to keep a stranger safe?

She huffed and then ran a hand through her hair. Well, if he was going to spend the whole night out there just for her then the least she could do was give him something in return. She hurried down the stairs and turned on the lights in the large kitchen. She always had too much food. She loved to cook but it was only her and so she always had more leftovers than she knew what to do with. After she had adopted the dog they had shared meals together. She figured that wasn't the best thing but the big mongrel seemed to adore her for it. She blinked away tears. She still couldn't believe he had killed her dog.

She pulled out a container and opened the lid. Last nights lasagna had been a huge success. She pulled out a huge piece and plopped it on a plate along with some steamed vegetables. All of that went into the microwave as she filled a thermos full of sweet tea. She was probably being silly. Surely the man had already eaten dinner but he did say that he was single which meant that his dinners probably consisted of frozen meals and take out.

She hurried down the sidewalk with her load. He was getting out of the car before she made it to the street. He flashed her a bright smile.

"What's all this?" He asked, gesturing towards the plate of steaming food and the thermos she had tucked under her arm.

"It's a thank you. It's all I got." She returned his smile as he took the plate and gave it a sniff.

"Oh, wow. You know how long it's been since I had myself any real food?" He asked as he shoveled a forkful into his mouth and then rolled his eyes dramatically.

She laughed. The sound startled her. How long had it been since she had laughed?

He went on. "I think the last time was Thanksgiving, last year. Rick had me over for the holidays and all that. But I gotta say, Carol. The last time I had food this good was never. You're a culinary Goddess." He winked and she found herself laughing once more.

"Well, I thought I needed to do something. I feel bad about you doing this." Her smile faded.

He leaned against the hood of the car and crossed his feet at he ankles. She sat down on the curb and hugged her knees.

"There ain't nothin' to feel bad about. I'm a night owl by nature. If I wasn't here tryin' to protect and serve I would be at home sittin' on my ass in front of the television and eatin' a t.v. Dinner."

"Well, thank you, Officer Walsh." She said sincerely.

"Shane. You can just call me Shane." He sat the empty plate down and unscrewed the lid off the thermos and took a long drink. He rolled his eyes dramatically once more. "And you keep all this up and you'll never get rid of me. No need for any thanks."

She took his empty plate but told him to keep the thermos after wishing him a good night. She felt better knowing that he really didn't seem to mind standing guard all night and he had enjoyed the food. Once her conscience was clear she was starting to feel sleepy. After cleaning up the minimal mess she had made in the kitchen she finally made her way back to her bedroom. It didn't take her too long to fall to sleep. Staying asleep was an entirely different matter all together. She kept dreaming of fists and mutilated dogs.

The next morning she woke up to the sound of the phone ringing shrilly on the bedside table. She answered it groggily without even looking at the caller I.D.

"Hello?" She mumbled.

"We need to talk."

She sat bolt upright in the bed, her heart instantly hammering in her chest. "Stop calling me. I don't have anything to say to you." She said, hating the fear that she knew he would hear in her voice.

"You think that's gonna stop me? You can fuck every cop in this town, it isn't gonna stop me. You need to stop this bullshit and come home. You're mine."

"How did you get this number?" She whispered.

"You ain't the only one with friends around here. Give it up, Carol. Whether you like it or not, you're comin' home." Ed growled into her ear and then the phone went dead.

He had been watching the house. He saw the squad car and probably had seen her talking to Officer Walsh last night. She threw the covers off and hurried to the window. The car was gone. Of course it was gone. What did she expect? For him to stay all day until it was time for him to go back to the police station? She made a frustrated sound in the back of her throat as she shoved herself away from the window.

Why couldn't he just leave her alone? What in the world would make a man like that think a woman could be with him? She was sure that he would have gotten worse the longer she had stayed in that marriage. She grabbed some clothes without even looking and headed to the bathroom down the hall. When she was undressed she turned and grimaced at the reflection in the full length mirror that hung on the bathroom door. It was a ritual.

Ed hadn't just tormented her with violence over the last year and a half of their marriage. He had done everything he could to beat her down emotionally and psychologically also. She was trash. She was useless. No man would want an ugly hag like her, but him. She was good for nothing. A thing to be used and thrown away. She should kiss his feet for even being seen with her in public. And that was just him warming up.

She stared at the woman staring back at her with a critical eye. She wasn't flawless. She knew that much. But she was nothing like what Ed had described. She wasn't an ugly woman. She wasn't beautiful but she wasn't hideous like he always implied. She wasn't blessed with a slender super model body but she wasn't a cow, like he had told her a thousand times. She wasn't skin and bones but she was fit enough. Her stomach was flat and her hips and thighs were firm. She wasn't ashamed of her body the way he had wanted her to be.

Well, she hadn't been ashamed of it. He made sure, that last night she had stayed in his house, the night she told him that she had had enough, that no man would be able to look at her and see anything remotely desirable.

She moved her arms from around her stomach. Scars. Nine total. He hadn't cut her up bad enough to kill her. Only bad enough to make sure she was marked. It was like he had signed his name to every one of them. A few were long and deep and particularly ugly. Most of them, though, weren't as bad. She was still unlikely to ever let another man see them. She wasn't interested in being with anyone again anyway. The way she looked at it was, the only person you could ever fully trust was yourself. You couldn't believe things that people said because people would say anything to lure you in and then once they had you, you were in for a world of suffering. That was how she tried to think anyway. She didn't _want_ to trust people. That didn't mean she never would. It was an inner battle she fought often.

"No thank you." She said to her reflection.

Her gaze traveled down to the other scars. Five on each leg. Her inner thighs, way up high. Her hands started shaking when she thought of how terrified she had been when he had given her those. He had made damn sure that if any other man ever touched her, he would know that Ed had been there first. He had been arrested on assault charges. He had spent three months in jail. His cousin was a District Attorney and had gotten him out of most of it.

She had suffered and she had survived and now her life was just that. _Her_ life. She turned away from the woman in the mirror and turned on the shower. She had things to do. She would have lunch with her lawyer, she would call the mortgage company, she would make payment arrangements on her utilities and then she would find herself another job. And then before she came home, she would buy herself a gun. The dog hadn't been as much help as she had hoped but even Ed wasn't strong enough to beat up a bullet. This was a new day and she was a new Carol. Things would get better. She truly believed that.

She hadn't survived everything she had been through to give up now. Not when freedom was so close she could almost touch it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! I wasn't expecting such a great response to this story but thank you! So glad that a lot of people are people I already know from previous stories, that's always great. And for all of those that do not know me, thanks for giving this story a shot! As you now know, Carol is a little less damaged in this story, since she didn't stick around for all those years dealing with Ed. I'm still going to be as careful as I can to keep her from becoming OOC! I promise. I mentioned in my last story that I wasn't sure what to make her Maiden name and a lot of people wanted me to run with Mason and so I did. I couldn't let it go because, like it isn't bad enough that their names rhyme! Haha So I really did enjoy the humor in it. Anyway here is a look into the life of a 20 year old non Walker slaying Daryl Dixon.**

Chapter Two

Daryl sat down heavily at the wobbly kitchen table and held the envelope in his hands. He knew what it was as soon as he had came home to their shitty one bedroom apartment and found it taped to the door. The landlords name was scribbled across the center. He didn't want to believe that Merle would be so stupid. He hadn't even been able to bring himself to open it.

He took a long swallow of coffee and then finally ripped open the envelope and let the paper inside slide out onto the grimy table top. He unfolded it and cursed loudly when he read the words at the top of the page. Written in bold print. All capital letters.

**EVICTION NOTICE.**

Fuck. He didn't even bother reading the rest. He didn't need to ask _why_ they were being evicted. He already knew why. Merle. He had left him the rent money over a week ago to give to the landlord while he went out to look for another job. It was the last of it. He was broke. Not just broke the way some folks thought they were broke. He was flat fucking busted. Nothing. Zilch. He had managed to scrape up the rent money by the skin of his teeth and he had been stupid enough to leave it with Merle.

He had a couple of job interviews today. That was a real good thing. Out of town, of course. But even if they let him start work as soon as the interview was over it would still be two weeks until he got a paycheck. They were already a month behind on the rent. It wasn't guaranteed he would get either job. Why did shit always have to be so goddamn hard on him? It should have been Merle out there busting his ass to get the bills paid and to make sure there was food on the table. The man was thirty two fucking years old and all he thought about was women, drinking and his next fix.

Daryl was the one that should have been out living it up. Twenty years old and he felt like he was forty because all his time was spent trying to make ends meet and watching out for his adolescent brother.

He stood up so fast the chair crashed to the floor with a loud bang. He kicked it, sending it flying into the wall. He stomped through the closet sized living room and kicked open the bedroom door. It wasn't like he would ever see his security deposit anyway, might as well blow off some steam and fuck shit up.

"Merle!" He yelled. He kicked the side of the bed before he turned on lamp.

There was Merle, sprawled out on his stomach with nothing but a sheet covering up his, most likely naked, ass. He saw a bleached blond head shoot up from the other side of the bed. Another one of Merle's junky sluts, no doubt. The woman looked like she was still half out of it. She had mascara smudged under her washed out eyes. She smiled at him and raised up.

Daryl looked down at the floor and picked up what must have been her clothes that were slung all over the place. He threw them at her. "Get out." He growled without looking.

He kicked the bed again. "Merle, get your stupid ass up!"

Merle groaned and then cracked open one bloodshot eye. "Get the fuck outta here. Can't you just let a man sleep?" He grumbled as he turned his head to face the wall.

The woman was putting her clothes on not even a few feet away from where Daryl was standing. He still refused to look at her. These bitches made him want to puke. Spreading their legs for anybody that would hook them up with whatever the hell they were strung out on.

"What the fuck did ya do with the rent money, you stupid ass!" He barked.

Merle sighed loudly. "Had an itch to scratch, baby brother. You'd understand if ya wasn't such a pussy." He chuckled.

The woman laughed. The sound made Daryl cringe and he found himself stepping further away from her.

"This is the boy you were tellin' me about?" the woman asked in a scratchy voice.

"The one and only," Merle rasped as he turned his head once more and smirked up at Daryl.

"He don't look like what I expected. He looks good enough to eat, Merle."

Daryl clenched his teeth. He felt like bolting out of the room but he was sure, if he did, they would have a good laugh at his expense.

Merle rolled over and grinned. "You hear that, little brother? What'd I tell ya, huh? You quit runnin' from it and you'd have every woman in the county screamin' for your goods."

Daryl finally glanced up at the woman, she was moving closer, like a fucking snake. "Get the fuck out." he growled, pointing to the door.

She stood there for a few seconds, eying him like she really was about to have him for a snack when Merle finally spoke up. "Go on, now. You heard the boy. Time to go, sugar tits."

She looked disappointed but she turned around and walked out of the room. Now Merle had the decency to at least look apologetic. "You know how I get. You shouldn't have left me with the money to begin with."

Daryl crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at his brother. "So now it's my fuckin' fault? You blow the fuckin' rent money on drugs and whores and that's somehow my doin'? You're a real piece of shit, you know that? We ain't got no where to go now. That was all the fuckin' money I had, Merle."

Merle looked at the ceiling and sighed. "Don't worry about it. I'll figure somethin' out." he grumbled.

Daryl shook his head. "No, Merle. You wont. You never do. You just wait around for me to do the figurin' while you get fucked up and pretend like I'm the one that needs your ass around. It's how it's been for the last two fuckin' years." He turned around, not listening to Merle's next words, knowing they weren't going to be anything that he wanted to hear. More excuses. He didn't need to hear them.

He was halfway through his shower, hair barely rinsed, when suddenly the water shut off.

"Son of a bitch!" He yelled.

Just then the door opened and Merle walked in. "The fucks your problem, baby brother?"

Daryl stuck his head out and glared at Merle's back. Why the hell did he never just wait on him to get out of the goddamn shower? If he had to listen to his brother take a piss one more time he was gonna scream.

"They shut off the fuckin' water." He grumbled as he stood there, waiting on his brother to finish up so he could get the hell out of the house and try to find a job. This time it wasn't Merle's fault. There just hadn't been enough money to pay it.

"The fuck they do that for?" Merle asked over is shoulder.

"Cause I didn't pay the bill."

"Why didn't ya just pay the bill? It couldn't have been that much." Merle complained as he zipped up his jeans.

"Cause I gave you the last of my money to give to the goddamn landlord, dip shit."

Merle just snorted and walked out. God, sometimes he wanted to flog that son of a bitch. If he'd get off that shit he would be okay. He'd still be an asshole but at least he wouldn't be blowin' the bill money on drugs.

He didn't own any really good clothes but that didn't really bother him. The types of jobs he applied for wasn't the kind that you needed to look good for. You just had to look like you could handle the work. And over the last few years he proved that his ass could handle the work. It wasn't anything he did that costed him so many jobs. It was the bullshit economy. He never got _fired_. It was always a layoff.

He ignored Merle and his half assed apologies. He was tired of them. He stormed out, slamming the door in the middle of Merle offering to sell a little on the side to help make ends meet. He opted for the beat up old truck rather than take his bike. Even though the bike was better on gas. The truck was pushing empty. He was about to punch the dash but figured even a construction foreman would look down on bloody knuckles. So he sighed loudly instead. Things had to start looking up soon cause he wasn't sure how much more of Merle's shit he could take. But Merle was his brother and he had to do what he could for the man.

Right before he pulled out Merle came running down the stairs. "Son of a bitch." He grumbled.

"Drop me off at Donavans." Merle huffed as he slid into the seat.

"Goddamn it Merle! It ain't even noon yet! And you ain't got any money. Why do you wanna go to that shit hole this early?"

"You know livin' with you is like livin' with a woman. All you ever do is bitch about shit."

"Well, maybe you should stop bein' an idiot and I'd quit bitchin'." Daryl grumbled as he drove down the quiet streets. He didn't say another word to Merle. There wasn't anything else to be said. The man was an asshole and nothing that came out of Daryl's mouth was going to sink into his head. He was going to do what he wanted to do like he always did. He knew there was a fight brewing. It happened less often since Daryl was big enough to give it right back to him but it was just something that happened every now and then. Hell, he didn't even mind it. It was a way to relieve the stress. The stress that Merle lacked because he knew that Daryl would handle all the bullshit.

He dropped Merle off at the bar and then went to back out of the parking lot. He was so focused on glaring at his brothers retreating back that he wasn't paying attention to anything behind him. The sudden jolt had him cursing out loud as he glanced into the rear view mirror.

Fuck! He didn't have any insurance and he knew that this one was all on him. He wondered about taking off real quick but it wouldn't take long for them to figure out that it was a Dixon that backed into them. Whoever it was surely knew about him and his brother. And of course it couldn't have been a piece of shit car either. This was a thing of fucking beauty. It was a 1968 Dodge Charger, glossy black, streamlined and fucking _perfect._ Yep. He was fucked.

He found himself climbing out of the rusted piece of shit of a truck and walking around to assess the damage. Hell, a car like this would have had him stopping and getting out of the truck to check it out anyway.

The good news was, this car was a beast. There was some pretty bad scratches on the front fender and a small dent. If it had been one of these newer cars the whole side would have probably been crushed. He started chewing nervously at his thumb nail as he waited on the driver to get out and start giving him hell.

"Are you okay?" A quiet voice asked.

He tore his eyes away from the car and was looking into the face of a girl he hadn't seen before. Or, at least he was pretty sure he had never seen her before. She certainly didn't look like anyone that would be driving around in a car like this. She looked to be about his age with auburn hair pulled back in a ponytail and eyes the color of the fucking sky. Her mouth was set in a frown and her brow was furrowed with what looked like worry.

He looked away quickly. "Fine. Didn't see ya." He mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. More like, wasn't paying attention to what the hell you were doing, dumb ass, he scolded himself. "You alright?" He asked, eyes locked on the damage he had done to the car.

"Actually I think I may have hurt my neck a little. You know? Whiplash?"

Son of a bitch. She was one of those kind of bitches. Trying to fake an injury to get some money. His eyes hardened and he glanced up at her but she was smirking with her head tilted to the side. He was about to come off with some smart ass comment but as soon as he looked at her his voice got stuck and nothing came to mind.

"That was a joke." She raised her eyebrows. "Okay, you aren't much of a jokester. That's alright. Just as well because here's the part where I have to tell you that I don't have any auto insurance and it looks like you got a good dent in your bumper that I can't pay for."

He felt his own eyes widen and he finally found his voice. "Why not? A girl like you can afford a car like this then you sure as hell could afford somethin' you actually need." He sounded harsher than he had meant too. It had been a shitty day already.

Her eyes didn't waver but the smile dropped from her face. It was a shame too because it was a great fucking smile. "What do you mean by a girl like me?" She asked softly.

He looked back down to the scratched and dented fender and this time he did start chewing his thumb nail. He shrugged. "You ain't old enough to have bought this thing on your own. So I figure that it was a gift from daddy or some shit. That's usually how it goes."

"Well, you pretty much just have me all figured out, huh?" She asked dryly.

His eyes flicked back up to her face then away again quickly. Why had he said anything to this damn girl? He should have known better. "Just a guess." He muttered.

"Look, how do you want to do this? I have someone to meet over at the cafe so..." She seemed to be eager to get away from him and he couldn't blame her.

Most decent people were like that towards the Dixon brothers. "I ain't got any myself so I guess we just go on about our day. Unless you wanna call the cops or somethin'."

He looked at her again when he heard her blow out a heavy sigh of relief. She was smiling again, apparently over being put off by his brusque attitude. She held out a small hand. He stared at it for a second and then surprised himself by taking it. Her grip was firm.

"So we agree to keep the fact that we both drive around illegally a secret?" She smiled and he had to blink.

His voice was gone again but he managed to nod. When she let go of his hand he could still feel the warmth of hers against his palm.

"You got a name?" She asked, still smiling.

It made sense why she had been so nice to him now. She didn't know who he was. As soon as he told her she would probably run off screaming and go wash her hand. He sighed and looked away. "Daryl." Surely she had _heard_ of him. Everyone else had.

He looked back up when he heard a girlish giggle.

"You're kidding?" She asked.

He shook his head, about to tell her to fuck off but something stopped him. She didn't look disgusted or scared. Just amused. Like his name was some huge joke. He felt his hackles start to rise.

"I'm Carol. Carol Mason. Our first names rhyme."

He frowned. She couldn't be serious. "Mason?" He asked.

She nodded, still smiling.

"Dixon. Daryl Dixon." He muttered. "That's pretty fucked up.

"You're kidding?" She asked with wide eyes.

He shook his head slowly and then she was laughing. Not just a small one either, but a really loud, contagious one that had the corner of his mouth pulling up despite himself.

She dabbed at her eyes once she finally recovered. "Well, if that didn't just make my whole day. I'm kind of glad you ran into me Mr. Dixon. I think I really needed it."

He wasn't sure what to say to that so he didn't say anything at all.

"Well, I better go. I think I'm late." She said as she met his eyes once more. "Maybe I'll see you around?"

He nodded and then watched her walk back towards the drivers side of her car. He stood there until she waved and pulled away. It wasn't until she was out of sight that he remembered that he actually had somewhere to be himself.

In a much lighter mood than he had found himself in this morning he got back in the truck and pulled out onto the street. This time he paid close attention in case another car was coming. He didn't need to hit anyone else. He doubted anyone else would have cut him any slack the way Carol had.

He shook his head and let himself laugh at the silliness of what had just transpired. "Mason Dixon, what'r the fuckin' odds of that shit?" he said out loud to himself as he grinned. Maybe today wasn't going to be as bad as he had thought. For some reason he had a good feeling. Hell, he wasn't even that pissed off at Merle anymore. He'd figure something out. He always did.


	3. Chapter 3

**The feedback I am getting for this story has pretty much blown me away. I've had a few people message me questions about where this is heading and truthfully i am not sure. I don't think ahead while I write. I just simply write. But one of the most popular questions is whether or not i plan to bring on the outbreak in this this story and I am torn at this point. Would you like to eventually see some Walkers in this story? I've been debating on it for days now, but i just don't know. Let me know what you want to see! Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**Anyway, it's the weekend so I hope you all have a fun one and stay safe! **

Chapter Three

Carol was still giggling when she stepped into the small cafe. She was late but she didn't think Milton would mind. They had become pretty good friends since she had filed for a divorce. He was the only local attorney available and at first she had been nervous. Especially after their first meeting. He was so shy and awkward that she wasn't sure how he had managed to find himself in this line of work to begin with. But he was capable and that was what mattered.

"Sorry about keeping you waiting, Milton. Have you been here long?" She asked as she sat down across from him.

He glanced up at her from under his glasses and smiled. "Not long. I got your message this morning so thought it would be better to meet sooner. I didn't mess up any of your plans did I?"

She shook her head. "Not at all."

I'm sorry about your dog."

"Me too." She sighed.

He eyed her for a few seconds and then frowned. "Are you alright? You look rather flushed. Are you feeling well?"

This had her smiling once more and nodded. "I'm fine. Just got into a little fender bender is all. No harm done."

"Did someone hit you?" He asked worriedly.

She nodded. "Yeah. A boy in a pick up truck but we got it all sorted out."

"Who was it?" He asked, curiosity all over his face.

Carol started examining her nails, keeping her eyes off of Milton's face. "Daryl Dixon."

Milton dropped the papers he had been going over and stared at her with wide eyes. "Oh, Carol. I know that you were never really able to get out much to meet new people so you couldn't know..."

"Know what?" She asked, her voice sounded defensive though she didn't know why.

He picked up the papers and started scanning them once more. "The Dixon's are known to be a little... rough. They're all about fighting, drinking and drugs and women. Most people avoid them like the plague."

Carol frowned as she pictured the boy she had just met in her mind. He seemed shy and a little guarded but certainly not dangerous. He wasn't drunk and he didn't seem to be on any drugs. As a matter of fact he had the clearest blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Maybe people around here haven't given the family a chance." She offered as she got up to order her coffee.

When she sat back down Milton was avoiding her gaze. She took a few sips and waited. When he finally looked up he looked a little nervous. "I don't know about the younger one but I know all about his brother. He's dangerous. He's dangerous on a whole different level than Ed. Just be careful, okay?"

She once again pictured that gorgeous face in her mind and then when she realized that that really was the last thing she needed to be doing at the moment she stopped herself. She actually spilled some of the coffee onto the table as she sat the cup down too hard. That was the last thing she needed to think about. Who cares if the boy was good looking? She didn't. "I'm always careful, Milton." She assured him.

"Well, I hate to change the subject but we have a small problem."

"What's that?" She asked as dread settled in.

"He's going to try to fight this. Everything. This could take a while."

She nodded, giving him a stoic look. On the inside she wanted to cry. She knew nothing was ever going to be easy when it came to Ed but she had harbored a small flicker of hope. That had been enough to make this news a real disappointment.

She took a deep breath and listened as he went over all of the details with her. She was barely paying attention. She let her mind wander aimlessly as he droned on about how they should go about settling everything. Sometimes, like now, she could barely even stand to think about it all. Sometimes she felt as though it would have been easier for her to stay with the man. But she would always shake that thought off. She was making a life for herself here. A real one. She was making friends and she was ready to face the world alone. Even if it was a scary concept.

Milton agreed to come over next week so they could go over things in more detail. She thanked him. He seemed hesitant to end their little meeting and soon Carol realized why.

"I heard about what happened yesterday." He said with a kind look in his eye.

"Oh?" She muttered.

"With the job. You know, there are other places that are probably hiring for waitresses. I have a friend who is a waitress over at Donavans. She seems to think it's okay and she says the tips are really good. I know you never wanted to work in a place like that but it's something until you find something better. We'll work something out with your legal fees so that isn't something you need to stress over."

She smiled and then sighed loudly. "A waitress. At a bar." She shook her head. "I never thought I would end up like this."

"You'll make it out of this rut. That is all it is." Milton said as he glanced down at his watch. He took one last hurried sip of his coffee and then stood up. "That friend of mine, her name is Andrea, she should be there now. If you go talk to her then she may be able to talk to her boss and you can start sooner."

"Thank you, Milton."

He insisted on looking at the damage to her car before he left even though she really doubted he knew any more about cars than she did. This car had scared the hell out of her when she first realized it was hers. It had been her grandfathers and it was probably worth a fortune since he had kept in pristine condition from the moment he bought it off the showroom floor in 1968. she had fleetingly thought about selling it but she couldn't bring herself to do anything like that. It had been his baby. She really was sad that it had taken a few dings today. If the man hadn't already been in his grave she was sure it would have given him a heart attack.

She pulled into the parking lot of the bar and sat there for a few long seconds. She wasn't too thrilled about this but right now she didn't have much choice. She would do just fine. Waitressing was waitressing whether you were bringing people food or beers. It was pretty much the same concept. How hard could it be to serve drunks?

She tightened the pony tail in her hair and then stepped out of the car. As soon as she rounded the corner and hurried under the shade of the awning she noticed two men standing next to the entrance. One was a short man with twitchy eyes and a couple of really noticeable sores on his face. His complexion was sallow and when he smiled at her his teeth were in serious need of repair.

The other man was much taller, broad shouldered, hard muscled and mean looking. It didn't help that he was dressed in black. There was something oddly familiar about him but she couldn't place that ruggedly handsome face.

She stepped into the dimly lit bar and had to squint through the haze of smoke that hung heavy in the air. She didn't have much experience with bars. She had been to a few shortly after she had turned twenty one but that was it. Ed had banned her from going anywhere, especially a place like this. He, on the other hand, spent a lot of time here in the past. She wasn't sure about now but she wasn't too worried. He wouldn't try anything stupid in a place like this and he was afraid of going back to jail, even if just for a night, so if he saw her here, surely he would just leave.

She approached the bar and a tired looking older man in a fishermans hat was behind the bar filling mugs with beer from the tap.

"Excuse me, sir. Is there an Andrea working here today by any chance?" She asked the man.

He gave her a kind smile and then nodded towards the closest table. Standing there, taking orders from a few older men was a pretty blond in a short skirt and tight tank top. As she glanced around Carol noticed that the other waitresses were wearing nearly the same thing. She froze.

She couldn't wear a skirt that short! For one, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She didn't care how other women dressed but she just felt more comfortable in jeans and t-shirts. But other than that, a skirt that short would definitely show off more than her thighs. It would show off those damn scars. She felt her heart sink as she approached the woman and tapped her on the shoulder lightly. It wouldn't hurt to ask. Maybe she'd be allowed to wear something a little longer.

The woman turned to look at her over her shoulder and smiled. "I'll be right with you, sweetheart. Why don't you take a seat at that table over there." She gestured towards the table in the far corner of the room. She was making her way over there when someone who was shooting pool took a swift step back, slamming into her and nearly knocking her right to the floor right there in front of everyone.

She felt a pair of strong hands grab her waist and then she was back on her feet. She turned around and looked up at the person who kept her from looking like a complete moron. It was the same man from outside, the big one.

"Easy there, beautiful, don't wanna go an' git yourself hurt, now." He smirked and before she could say anything at all he walked past her and slapped her, quite hard, on the ass. He looked back over his shoulder and winked.

Carol paid close attention to her surroundings as she made her way to the table in the back. Her cheeks were flaming. Had that man really just done that? Good grief! It wasn't any wonder Ed had never wanted her to come to place like this. Not that he wanted her to go anywhere else either but still. At least it was the good looking guy and not his shifty eyed friend. Not that she enjoyed getting her ass slapped by anyone, but if someone was going to do it then at least it was someone attractive.

Daryl Dixon's face popped into her head once more and she actually groaned out loud. What was with her today? The thought of getting her ass slapped should not instantly put her to mind of some ridiculously beautiful boy that she didn't even know.

"Okay, sorry about that." Andrea smiled, pen poised, ready to take her order. "What can I get for you?"

"Are you Andrea?" Carol asked hesitantly.

"That would be me." She eyed Carol for a second, "Do I know you?"

Carol shook her head. "No. I'm a friend of Milton's. Milton Mamet? Anyway, he said that you may be able to tell me whether or not I can get a job here?"

"Milton is a real sweet man. But are you sure you want to get a job here?" Andrea asked and then glanced around.

"Yes. I was recently let go and I really need something as fast as I can get it."

"I'll talk to my uncle. We're really needing the help. Well, he's really needing the help. I'm just a fill in to help him out."

"Oh. I thought you worked here full time." Carol said, suddenly feeling like Milton had left her in the dark.

"I'm a Civil Rights Attorney." She smiled. "I just come in when my uncle needs me."

"He didn't mention that part." Carol grumbled, feeling pretty stupid and not really knowing why.

"Well, let me get myself behind the bar so you can talk to my uncle in relative peace." She smiled and led Carol through the gathering throngs of people.

She walked by the man who had smacked her ass once more but he wasn't looking her way.

"Who's that?" Carol whispered once they were past him.

Andrea just shook her head. "_That_, is trouble." She muttered. "Merle."

"Oh. I see."

Andrea shook her head. "I doubt it. That's Merle _Dixon._" She said the name like it left a bad taste in her mouth.

There it was again. That stigma around these men. Neither of them seemed bad to her. Well, as far as she could tell. Merle had been relatively nice to her and Daryl, well, he seemed painfully shy but other than that he had been nice as well. Sort of. And sure, Merle was a little out of line with the ass slapping thing but he _had _saved her from falling earlier.

She nearly stopped in her tracks when she realized what she was doing. She was going out of her way to make up excuses for these men when really it was obvious that the people in this town knew them much better than she did. This was the second time within an hour that she had heard that warning in someone's voice while they spoke of these brothers.

She kept following Andrea, keeping her chin up as some of the men in the bar started looking their way. She knew them. She hadn't noticed them before but she had seen these men several times while she was married to Ed. She technically still was married to him but that was neither here nor there as far as she was concerned. She was single. Ed was out of the picture. But there his friends were, glaring holes into her back.

She didn't have another choice. She had to do this to keep her house and get her bills paid and still have enough money to keep herself fed. She couldn't tuck tail and run. That wasn't an option anymore and she couldn't cave and go back to the man, no matter how miserable he was planning on making her. She would be much more miserable living under his control. She'd sleep in the back seat of her car if she had too. Screw Ed and his idiots friends.

She was introduced to the man she had seen behind the bar when she had first arrived. His name was Dale and he seemed to be a real sweet man. Andrea took over for him and he ushered her into a small office off the side of the kitchen.

"So, you're Ed's ex wife?" He asked as he lowered himself down into a chair behind a battered old desk.

"How did you know that?" She asked without thinking.

He smiled. "That's the thing about towns like this, Miss. There aren't many secrets."

"That's just great." Carol muttered as she lowered herself into the chair he gestured towards with a wave of his hand.

It only took about ten minutes, most of that being filled with small talk as she filled out her tax forms and signed a few pieces of paper.

"Can you start tonight?" He asked eagerly.

She smiled and nodded. This was fantastic. She wouldn't make much here but it was a start and she would keep looking for more work so she could have a second job. She wasn't going to lose that house.

"We have uniforms here in the back. I'll send Andrea back for all of that fitting business." He said as he left her standing in the short hall.

She wanted to ask him about that but she couldn't. She would see if Andrea would help her but she certainly wasn't going to tell her why. She was entitled to keep some things to herself, even if this was a little gossip town.

Andrea showed up with a grin. "Welcome to the ranks my friend! I really hope you like it. Now I'm one person closer to getting the hell out of here."

"You make it sound like a lovely job, ma'am." Carol said with a grin.

Andrea rolled her eyes and led her to another small room where there were a few boxes of these "uniforms" still in the packages.

"Let's see here." Andrea mumbled as she rummaged through the box that held the short black skirts.

"Um, Andrea?" Carol's voice was so quiet she was unsure if the other woman heard her.

"Yeah?" She looked up and her smile fell off her face when she took in Carol's concerned look.

"I was wondering. Do you have anything a little longer? Do they really have to be that short?" She asked.

Andrea seemed to study her for a while and then nodded. "I have to tell you though, the shorter the skirt, the sweeter the tips." She winked.

Carol just smiled. "Do I try them on here or just take them home and hope it all works out?"

Andrea just shrugged. "I'm pretty good at guessing sizes by now. Go ahead and take them home. Maybe I'll see you tonight if I stick around that long."

"That would be nice." Carol said as she followed Andrea back through the bar.

They said their goodbyes and Carol headed for the door. When she stepped out from under the awning she had to shield her eyes from the late afternoon sun. her spirits were high as she made her way towards the car. Something about the way it was sitting seemed off. When she went around to the drivers side her heart sank. Both tires were flat. Not just that, they were slit.

Her arms fell to her sides, her hands still clutching the ridiculous uniform. She was so tired of this. When was that psycho son of a bitch going to give her a break? She wanted to curse the voice in her head that was constantly telling herself that he was never going to stop. She had to believe that eventually, he would.

Angry tears sprang to her eyes and she surprised herself when she lashed out and kicked the flat tire. She was angry at him for doing this and she was angry at herself for letting him make her cry. She hated him. Hate wasn't a strong enough word. And she hated feeling like that towards anyone but it was the truth.

And just her luck, right when she turned around to lean against the drivers door, here comes that beat up old truck. He parked a few cars down and hopped out, it didn't seem like he'd noticed her yet. She hurriedly wiped the tears off of her face just in case he stopped to talk to her. He did stop, right there on the sidewalk when he noticed her standing there. He looked at her for just a split second before his eyes darted away. Then he noticed the tires and he looked nearly as devastated as she felt.

"Jesus, how the fuck did that happen?" He grumbled as he completely ignored her and knelt down and ran one hand lovingly over the tire.

Suddenly her eyes were transfixed on that hand, forgetting all about the tires. The hand was large, fingers long and graceful and _dirty._ When his middle finger slipped into the slit she actually jumped, dropping the packages on the ground.

Jesus Christ! She was some sort of disgusting pervert! She could feel her face flaming and then he was squinting up at her. "Who woulda' done somethin' like this? You know this could fuck up your undercarriage, right? Bend the rims? These mother fuckers are original too..."

On and on he droned without the slightest idea that she was standing not two feet away from him in the middle of a panic attack.

"Hey!" He said a little more loudly. "Are you listenin' to anything I'm sayin'? You gotta get this shit fixed, soon. You can't just let shit like that go on a car like this, ya know?" Suddenly it was like he realized how much he was talking and he closed his mouth quickly and stood up.

She looked down and saw that she still hadn't picked up the uniform so she quickly bent down to get it. Just her luck he was about to pick them up for her and their foreheads slammed together.

"Ouch." She yelled and her hand came up to cover the, now tender, spot. She looked up wincing. It hadn't seemed to have any effect on him at all.

"Shit," he muttered, "I bet that hurt. My ol' man says I gotta head like a goddamn rock. You alright?"

"I'm fine. Just need to get home and ice myself down. No big deal." She grimaced.

He handed her the packages and took a step away from her. "What about the car?"

She sighed and then leaned against it. She figured she was going to have to walk home now, which would take her a good thirty minutes. She didn't have enough money to get it towed to her house. She didn't really have an answer for his question. "I guess I leave it. Nothing else to do about it right now."

He looked at her like she was stupid. "How are you gonna get home?"

She shrugged. "I guess I walk."

"Do you know the person that fucked up your car?" He asked and he held her gaze for much longer than he had during their previous encounter.

She nodded.

"Somebody ya know?"

"My ex husband." She mumbled and then looked down at the packages in her hand.

"Who would that be?" He asked.

"Ed Peletier."

"So you're her." He mumbled. "The fuck ya doin' with an old fucker like him? He went to school with my brother."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not doing anything with him." She snapped. "Other than doing what I can to avoid him."

"Don't look much like you're doin' a good job at that." He looked down at the tire and shook his head sadly. "You got a friend you can call and give ya a lift or somethin'?"

"I can walk." She said stubbornly. She started to think she liked him a little better when he wasn't so talkative.

"And whatcha think your gonna do when he sees that you're walkin'? You think of that? Everybody around here knows the kinda shit he..."

"I'll walk." She snapped and then pushed past him. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes again. Of course everyone knew what kind of stuff Ed had done. He was one to brag. She felt a firm grip on her wrist that shocked her into stopping. He dropped it as soon as she turned her head to look at him over her shoulder.

"Well, since I fucked up your car earlier and you didn't call the law on me," He shrugged, "The least I can do is take your ass home."

He looked down, like he very well expected her to tell him to go to hell. She thought about what Milton had said and then what Andrea had told her. Trouble. These men were trouble. Stay away from them. She thought about what she said to herself every day. Don't trust anyone. Rely on yourself. It's the key to survival. But she suddenly felt very alone. She studied his face briefly. There was no malice there. No underlying current of a darker person. She just saw a boy who seemed to be very unsure of himself.

"That'd be nice." She heard herself say.

His head snapped up, like he wasn't too sure if he had heard her right. She saw that his eyes were guarded again, not letting anything show. "You heard any stories about me and my brother, Carol?" He asked.

The sound of her name in his mouth made her stomach feel strange. She nodded. "I heard."

He looked at her for another long moment and then turned to walk towards his truck. She followed him. Trying hard to ignore the strange sense of anticipation in her gut. She wasn't going to worry about it right now. She was simply going to blame it on her head injury. Maybe she had a concussion. Why else would she be about to get into a truck with a potentially dangerous guy? One that had her reacting to him in a very uncharacteristic way.


	4. Chapter 4

**It's a lot of fun writing a younger slightly hormonal less scarred up Daryl. And a more free spirited less beat down happier Carol. Just a little heads up, I am no pro. I write because I think it's fun and I have no life and it gives me something to do other than watch T.V.! And if some of you end up enjoying it then that is really great! But I'm not being graded or paid, I have to say it once more. So here is me, doing what I do. Hopefully you are entertained! For everyone that's reviewed, followed or favorited this story, thank you! I'm glad most of you like it as much as me =) And if you don't like it, then I hope you find some other stories on this site that meet your expectations ;) **

**I'm not sure if this is going to be one of those chapter that I am forced to steadfastly defend or not. Just keep in mind that these characters are less damaged and I've made it a point to drop little hints about how lonely each one is even though their lives differ a lot! Anyway, hope you all are having a really great weekend! Be safe!**

Chapter Four

Daryl didn't open his mouth almost the whole way to her house. She gave him simple directions and he wasn't surprised what neighborhood she directed him to go to. It was filled homes. Not dingy apartment buildings and ran down houses like his neighborhood was. These houses were all set back from the street in neat little rows with wide yards filled with flowers and shrubs and trees. He'd find his way into neighborhoods like these when he was a kid and walk the streets. He'd wander what it would be like to have a home like that. To not be embarrassed by whatever shit hole your parents were renting at the moment.

His walks ended once he got a little older and people started complaining. Thinking he was scoping out houses to rob or vandalize.

He glanced at her and caught her staring at him. He bit his cheeks and pointed his eyes back towards the street.

She cleared her throat. "So, you an early drinker or something?"

"What?" He grumbled, keeping his eyes straight ahead. Great, now people were saying he was some sort of drunk like his old man.

"You were at the bar. It's still pretty early." She said quietly. "Figured you were going for a drink. That's what people do at bars, ya know?"

He risked another glance and she was smiling at him. "I spose the same goes for you." he countered.

"I got a job. You're looking at the new waitress for Donavan's tavern." She sounded a little bitter.

Waitress? If she drove a car like that and lived in a neighborhood like this then why the hell was she working in a place like that?

"I was there to pick up my brother." He said. "They wont serve me alcohol."

"What? Why?" She asked, sounding slightly shocked. "This next house on the right."

He pulled into the paved driveway. This was one of the bigger houses. "Cause I'm a minor." he grumbled and then risked another glance at her.

He frowned when he caught sight of her face. She looked damn near horrified. "What? How old are you?"

Now he was the one frowning. "Just turned twenty. What the hell are you lookin' at me like that for?"

She blew out a breath and then he noticed that her face was turning red. What the hell was with this girl? Had Ed knocked her stupid or something? She was some sort of rich kid, living in one of the best neighborhoods in town, drove one of the most bad ass cars he'd ever seen in person, waitressing on the side for kicks, most likely, and now she was acting like some sort of weirdo.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"How old are you?" He asked, not even knowing why the hell he was asking.

"Twenty four." She glanced up and offered him a sheepish smile before she raised her chin, "And a half."

She was trying to be cute. Wasn't like she had to try hard. This chick was way beyond cute. She was fucking... He shook his head and scowled at that thought. Where the fuck had that shit come from?

"I'll see ya around." He grumbled. "And get that fuckin' car home."

She nodded and then went to open the door.

Son of a bitch. Not this again. She tried to open it but the stupid thing wouldn't budge. It did that sometimes. You had to pull the handle just right and then hit it with your shoulder before it would open. God, why did his piece of shit truck have to fuck up _now_? Then he had to wander why the fuck it mattered. Like this girl expected any less. She'd already confirmed she had heard about the Dixon's. He sighed.

"Ya gotta kinda jerk it out a little." He explained.

She yanked the handle up.

"Not up. You're gonna yank it plumb off. And ya gotta jerk not yank."

She frowned. "There's a difference?"

He snorted. "Women are so clueless. Yeah, there _is_ a difference."

"Explain then, I'm dying to hear this."

He moved his body so his back was facing the drivers side door and fixed her with a narrow eyed gaze. "If ya just yank on it then your not puttin' enough muscle into it. Jerk it out, not up and do it fast or it ain't gonna work."

"Like this?" She tried one more time but nothing happened.

He growled. "You're doin' it the same as ya did before." he grumbled.

"Carol?"

Daryl nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard someone behind him. He was sitting with his back against the seat now. Everything he was explaining to her to do went through his head and from the look on the Asian guys face he thought he had just walked up on something much more inappropriate than a door that was jammed.

"Hi, Glen." Carol smiled and waved. "Door got stuck." She jiggled the handle. "See."

Daryl knew his face was flaming but all he could do was sit there and glare straight ahead. He knew the guy. They had went to school together all their lives but they had never spoken. Not a word.

Glen just nodded. "Oh. Okay. I'll... I'll see ya later or something." He hurried away from the truck. Daryl wanted to disappear.

Carol covered her mouth and tried really hard to hold it in but she couldn't. Her loud obnoxious laughter filled the cab of the truck as Glen ran across the street. She was doubled over with her head on her knees. He couldn't believe she thought this was funny.

"How can you laugh at that?" He growled as he glared at her. "You know what he thought? Jesus. Get out."

She finally stilled herself and sat up straight. She was fighting it, he could see that and if he wasn't completely fucking embarrassed right now he would have laughed at how hard she was trying to keep a straight face.

"Okay, okay. But could you do me a favor first?" She asked, keeping herself in check.

He shrugged. "What?"

"Could you explain that to me one more time?" She laughed again.

She must have thought she was fucking hilarious. He growled and then leaned over her, jerked the handle with one hand and then used the palm of his other hand to slam into the side. The door popped open and he nearly fell across her but he tensed his muscles and was able to stay in place.

"There, now go on." He grumbled as he slid quickly back to his own spot.

She slid out and landed lightly on her feet but she turned around to look at him once more.

"What?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Do you want to come in?" She asked and it was painfully clear in her unsure expression that it had taken her a lot of nerve to ask.

He didn't really want too. What little bit of time he had spent with her already had his head spinning. He didn't have friends. Had never had them. He wasn't sure how to act around other people and he knew he was a class A son of a bitch half the time without even meaning to be. But if he said no then he'd hurt her feelings. If he said yes he was going to be uncomfortable and feel weird the whole time.

"You don't have too if you don't want too, I just thought maybe..."

"Why the fuck not? I'm already here, right?" He said as he shouldered his own door open. "But if the cops show up it's cause your neighbors think I'm inside robbin' you blind or worse."

She just shrugged as she led him down the sidewalk towards the wide front porch.

His uneasiness intensified once they were inside. He glanced around nervously as he followed her, too afraid to get too close to anything for fear he would either break something or get it dirty.

"My grandpa bought this house about forty years ago. He added onto it over the years but I don't know why cause it was just him and my grandma and my dad. He built a garage and a workshop out back. You'd probably faint if you saw all the crap he's got out there."

"So you live with your grandparents?" He asked quietly, hoping the old folks wouldn't come home and catch a Dixon in their house.

"I live alone." She said as they stepped into a kitchen the size of his entire shitty apartment. "My Grandma died and left the place to me. Unfortunately my Grandpa had been forced to take out a second mortgage on the place when his business went under. So it isn't mine free and clear just yet."

"I hope you don't go around tellin' everybody that." he grumbled as he perched lightly on the edge of a bar stool in front of a large center island that separated the cooking space from the eating space. He put his forearms down on the black granite counter top.

She went to the refrigerator and started rummaging through it. He was directly across from her and his eyes zeroed in on her ass. As much as he tried he couldn't will himself to turn his head. All the women Merle tried to force on him and he hadn't batted an eyelash at them. Was never the least bit interested. Did absolutely nothing for him. Now the first decent person he had ever met that actually didn't mind speaking to him and he was acting just as bad as his brother. Go figure.

"You're hungry." she turned her head and smiled at him. It wasn't a question but a statement.

"Huh?" He had managed to move his eyes before she had caught him staring at her.

"Please tell me that you're hungry. I have to throw out most of this food tomorrow and I hate that." She stood up and leaned into the counter, watching him with sad eyes. She pushed her bottom lip out a little and his mouth went dry. He tried to swallow but he couldn't. Maybe he was one of those late bloomers and all the shit you were suppose to go through once you hit puberty had decided to hit him in this girls kitchen. Whatever it was it needed to stop. Right now.

"Well?"

He had to drag his eyes away from her lips before he could force himself to nod. And the truth was, he was fucking starving. All he had at his place was some frozen deer meat and Ramon Noodles and now he didn't even have any running water to even cook those.

"Great!" She grinned.

He looked down at his hands that were splayed out on the granite and then he put them in his lap. All the time he spent under the hood of his truck had the creases in his hands and his cuticles constantly blackened from grease. Even when his hands were clean they looked like he had just been outside rubbing them through the dirt. It wasn't something he really put much thought into when he was home but in a place like this everything was making him self conscious.

"Do you think Merle would mind if I sent him a few things?"

His head shot up. "You wanna send Merle food?" He asked, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. "Why?"

She put her hands on her hips and frowned. "Do I look like the type of woman that would send one Dixon away with a full stomach while the other one goes hungry?"

He frowned back, for some reason starting to feel suspicious. How did she know they were usually hungry? Was that what this was? Some sort of way for her to take the Dixon's on as some sort of charity case? He shook his head. "Merle can feed his damn self."

She sighed. "Okay. I guess to the trash it goes then." She suddenly brightened and then turned and plucked a card off of the refrigerator that had been held in place by a smiley face magnet.

He eyed her as she reached for the phone hanging on the wall behind her. "What are ya doin'?" He asked, his brow furrowed.

"Shane Walsh. He was just telling me the other night that he lived off frozen meals. _He_ would surely appreciate my offer of free home cooked food. Much better than tossing it out. He can come pick it up now."

Before he could stop himself he was around the corner and taking the phone out of her hand and placing it back on the wall. "Fine." he grumbled. "Go ahead and bag it up for my sorry ass brother. Ain't no way I'm gonna hang around if that dickhead is comin' over."

She gave him a smug smile and nodded and then she tilted her head. "I think your brother is kinda nice." She turned then and continued on with her work while he stood there watching her quizzically.

"Merle?" He snorted.

She looked at him over her shoulder. "You got another brother?" She asked.

He thought about that for a second and then shrugged. "Probably."

This got another laugh out of her and he decided that it was worth it. Worth coming out of his comfort zone and be a little bit humiliated just to hear that laugh.

"And Shane Walsh is a very nice man." She said after a few minutes. "I don't see why the two of you wouldn't get along." She turned and wink.

"And you got fucked up taste in friends, girl." he muttered.

She frowned. "I don't think that's true at all. Until now I hadn't had any."

He snorted. "And you think you do now?" He cocked an eyebrow.

She leaned her hip into the counter and crossed her arms over her chest, giving him her full attention which made him squirm a little and look away.

"Are _we_ not friends now?" She asked.

"You don't know shit about me. We just met." He met her eyes then. "Dixon's ain't got friends."

Her eyes narrowed. "Merle does. I saw him with one today."

Daryl shook his head. "Merle has buddies he gets fucked up with. That ain't a friend."

"I know why you came here, Daryl. I'm not stupid. I know exactly why you talked to me when it's pretty obvious that you don't make a habit of being friendly with people."

He froze and refused to meet her eyes for a few long seconds. How the hell did she know what had brought him here when he didn't know himself? And he had no idea why he had talked to her. Other than the fact that he _had_ to talk to her. He'd hit her fucking car. What else had she expected him to do? And he definitely didn't know why he _liked_ talking to her so much. He guessed it was because of the way she looked at him. She looked at him with her eyes wide open. She didn't look at him with the suspicion that everyone else seemed too.

Oh fuck. Had she somehow known he'd been checking her out earlier? Did she think he was gonna try to screw her or something? Jesus, was she going to call him out on it right now? He let out a breath and met her eyes again. If she did he'd at least take it like a man, and then deny the hell out of it. "Why do _you_ think I'm here?"

"The car." She deadpanned.

He felt his lips twitch but he forced back the smile. That was much better than her thinking he wanted to mess around with her.

"You have a crush on my car and so you charmed your way into my house just cause you think maybe you'll have a chance of getting closer to it. It's quite rude, if you ask me." She was looking at him with such a serious expression that he really wasn't sure if she was bullshitting him.

He crossed his arms over his chest and then bit his bottom lip. "You know, you should really get that car back here."

"Told you." She smiled and then turned back around. "And I have to see if I can afford it. I'm not sure what I have left in the bank and I'm still paying for this place."

"And you think a job as a waitress is gonna be enough?" He asked and then realized his lack of social skills was kicking in. he saw how her back stiffened.

She shook her head. "It wont ever be enough, but it's all I have and I have to have faith that I'll get myself through it somehow."

He was going to just keep his mouth shut but he went on. "That's an awful heavy load for such a little thing to carry, don't you think?"

She turned around, seeming to relax a little. "I'm a lot stronger than I look."

He thought about all the stuff he had heard that Ed had done to her. He hadn't believed some of it. He knew Ed but he steered clear of the man. Merle had went to school with him and had hated him. He couldn't help but wonder what the hell a girl like her would be with a man like him to begin with. Even if he hadn't been a huge prick, he was an ugly lazy slob. Maybe he hadn't always been like that but he had been for as long as Daryl could remember. This girl could have any damn man she wanted and didn't even know it. **"**I believe that." he muttered.

She fixed them both a plate and then sat right next to him at the long island. He almost couldn't even enjoy the food because every now and then her arm would brush against his and cause him to almost choke. But Jesus Christ the food was good. And it was just reheated leftovers. And she seemed to be happy that he was there.

"So, I start work tonight. You should come see me. A friendly face would help with my nerves." She said quietly after they were finished. She took his empty plate and busied herself at the sink across from him. He watched her for a second before he realized she had said something.

"What?"

Her blue eyes shot up and locked onto his. "Can you come?"

"Oh. To the bar?" He shook his head.

Her face fell then and he wanted to say something to bring her smile back but his hands were tied. "Okay." She said sadly and then her lip did that thing again.

"I ain't old enough, remember?"

She looked up and quickly hid her smile. "Forgot. You seem much older than that."

"I feel older than that, believe me." He grumbled and looked away.

"Can you call me? I go on break at eleven." She looked back down at the water draining out of the sink. She actually looked embarrassed that she'd asked.

He bit his lip. Why would she want him to call her? Or come visit her? Surely that didn't have anything to do with her feeling sorry for him and his loser brother. He had gotten the job and had to be up at four in the morning to make it to the site in time. He was planning on being asleep by ten. The longer he sat there and mulled it over in his head the more her face flushed.

"I'll call ya at eleven." he said finally.

Her eyes flashed up and she smirked. "I sound desperate don't I?"

He nodded. "Wantin' a Dixon around don't just make ya _sound_ desperate. It makes ya desperate as fuck, girl."

"You're a real ass, Daryl Dixon." She grumbled but smiled anyway.

"How was you plannin' on getting there?" He said, suddenly remembering that she currently didn't have a ride.

"I was going to walk. Just like I had planned on walking home." She came around and shocked the hell out of him by grabbing his hand and pulling him from the stool.

He wasn't used to physical contact with anyone. His folks hadn't been all too affectionate and that was putting it lightly. Mostly people avoided him. He lived under his brothers reputation and he accepted that. Hell, usually no one even spoke to him. Merle demanded attention. Went out of his way to put himself out there and prove to the world he was not one to be fucked with. Daryl was different. He kept his mouth shut and stayed in the shadows as much as he could.

And all that was just fine. Until now. Now he was dealing with this crazy girl who never _stopped_ talking to him and now wasn't even willing to at least keep her hands to herself so he would have room to breath.

"You ain't walkin'." he grumbled as she led him back out to the front porch. Was she making him leave? What the hell were they doing back out here? He hadn't even realized where she was taking him.

"I can walk anywhere I please. You aren't my boss." She said as she sat down on the top step and pulled him down next to her. She dropped his hand as soon as they were sitting down.

"What are we doin'?" he looked at her with a frown and then glanced towards the street. It was bad enough people could see his truck in her driveway. He didn't want people to see her with him. Not just for him but for her. He knew that people would start telling her horror stories about his family and, for some reason, the thought of her looking at him like everyone else did made him feel sick. And if they didn't tell her horror stories then they would probably start to treat her bad.

She sighed. "I don't come outside much. I'm always hiding in the house and I don't feel like hiding right now. I want to sit on the porch, with my friend," She looked over and grinned, "and enjoy myself for a while. That's what we're doing." She bumped his shoulder with her own.

"What are you always hidin' for?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the street.

"It's just easier, I guess." Her voice was suddenly sad and it had him glancing towards her once more. "I don't want to see him and I don't want to see the look on everyone's face. I don't need their pity. They can shove it straight up their ass."

He barked out a laugh before he even had a chance to try to swallow it down. She looked at him then, eyes wide and the grin returning to her lips. "Guess you are tougher than you look." He shook his head but kept his eyes on her face. There was worry stirring in his gut. "I can stick around and take ya to work. I gotta go pick up Merle's dumb ass there anyway."

"Didn't you just hear what I said? I don't need you feeling like you have to do things just because you feel sorry for me. I got legs," She stretched one jean clad leg out just to prove a point, "And I'm sure you have a life."

He couldn't help but admire her. She was a strong one. But he had also heard about the shit she had been through and, even if he didn't really know her very well, he felt like the least he could do was try to keep anything bad from happening to her. Even if she probably wouldn't be too friendly with him once the town got wind of her spending time with him and started talking their small minded shit, he was here right now, and she was acting like she enjoyed the fact that he was, so he'd try to keep her from getting picked up off the street by that crazy fuck.

"I got about as much a life as you do. But if ya want me to go so you can prove how big and strong you are then I 'spose I can head home." He bluffed as he stood up to leave.

"Daryl, wait!" She jumped up and grabbed his hand again, walking backwards as she tugged him back towards the house. "Give me a ride if you _want_ to give me a ride. But please don't if you just think I need it. I don't, okay? I'm not somebody you should do pity favors for."

He glanced towards to street since now they were still standing there and her hand was still holding his. His hand tightened when he saw the car idling there, the man behind the wheel glaring at them. She must have sensed something because she looked over and her whole body seemed to go rigid. He looked from the man in the car to her. Her face was pale and she swallowed hard. Her eyes were wide and the hand that was now gripping his was trembling slightly.

"Ya want me to go break his neck?" He offered and she glanced up, like she just now realized that he was still with her. Where had her mind went when she saw the man?

She shook her head and took in a heavy breath. "Men like him don't ever stop, do they?" She asked in a strained whisper as her eyes drifted back to the car.

"I wouldn't know. I ain't a man like that." He said as he kept his eyes on her face. He hated seeing that look in her eye. Like she'd just taken a beating. Pain. He felt the muscle in his jaw start twitching as he clenched his teeth.

"He normally just drives by. Why hasn't he left yet? He know there's a restraining order against him."

Daryl glared at the car once more and then said to hell with it. He dropped her hand and started storming towards the street. When he got about halfway there Ed took off, tires smoking as he went. Daryl stopped. He really wanted nothing more than the guy to just get out of the car and try to touch her. Just put one mother fucking hand on her for a second and then Daryl would have every reason in the world to stomp his ugly face in.

He blinked as he came to his senses. What the hell was he thinking? It wasn't his place to do a damn thing for this girl. His reputation was bad enough. He didn't need this shit. Jesus, and she probably thought he was a goddamn spazz.

He spun around and she was right there. He took an involuntary step back from her. He thought about the job he just landed, thought about Merle and that mess he was always dealing with. He thought about how in a few days him and Merle had to be out of their apartment and he thought about how much shit he already had on his plate.

"Sorry." He mumbled as he walked passed her and didn't stop until he was sitting, once again, on her top step.

He was going to hang around until he took her to work and then he was going to kick her out of his his head. He didn't need any more stress and he figured if he didn't watch himself he'd get sucked into her mess too. He had to keep his head clear and she made that impossible. He'd take her to work, pick up his brother and forget he ever even met her.

Shit. Well, after he called her tonight, he would forget he ever met her. And he was only going to call her because he'd already told her that he would and to not call would be... well, it would be fucking rude. Then he was done.

He glanced up at her. She bit her lip. He instantly started wandering what that lip would feel like between his own teeth.

Mother fucker!


	5. Chapter 5

**I really hope that this whole chapter isn't full of typo's! But I'm a bit under the weather and I only gave this one a glance over. Medicine makes me sleepy, so if you see more mistakes than usual, that is why! This chapter is kind of sweet =) I hope you like it as much as most of you have liked the other chapters. AU's are really fun! Thank you all for the reviews! It makes this much easier to know that people are reading and actually liking it! Well, it's off to bed for me! For a little while anyway! Hope you've all enjoyed your weekend!**

Chapter Five

Daryl kept his eyes straight ahead. There was no way he would be able to even glance at her without crashing into a goddamn tree. He kept having to swallow. Over and over he had to swallow. He was fucking drooling. _Drooling!_ There was no fucking way that was normal. Non. He was some sort of fucking weirdo freak who drooled over a skirt. Not the skirt so much as the fucking legs the skirt revealed. Legs. The skirt wasn't even as short as the ones the other waitresses wore. He hadn't given them girls a second look. But as soon as she finally came down the stairs wearing the thing he thought he was going to have a panic attack.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked for the hundredth time.

"Fine." He muttered, swallowed and then clenched his teeth together. His hands were gripping the steering wheel so tight he thought it should have crushed under his fingers by now. His hands actually ached.

"I hope I don't screw this up." She mumbled.

"You wont." He said before he could remind himself that he wasn't going to talk anymore.

It was damn near dark when he pulled into the parking lot. He parked next to her car, looking down at it sadly. He really wanted to get it back to her place and get the damn thing fixed. And he could too. He could fix the dent and he could buff out the scratches. He could even change the tires. The huge ass garage behind her house had everything he needed to do that. He couldn't believe the shit that old man must have spent a fortune on that was in that garage.

"Thanks, Daryl. After putting this ridiculous outfit on I'm really glad you stuck around to give me a ride. I look like a hooker."

He scoffed. "No you don't." he fucked up and looked over at her. "See ya." He muttered and looked away.

He heard her sigh and then he heard her struggling with the handle once more. This was some sort of cosmic joke. It had to be.

"Daryl?" She said in a meek voice.

He huffed and then hopped out of the truck. There was no way he was leaning over her again. So he stomped around the side of the truck and yanked the door open. He met her eyes then and she hopped out, never looking away. He noticed then that she was nervous.

"I feel like I look like an idiot." She whispered as she pulled the clingy shirt away from her stomach just to have it snap right back into place.

"You look fine. Go send my brother out and serve some assholes some beer." he said gruffly.

"Already out here, little brother." Merle's raspy voice sounded slightly strained.

Daryl and Carol both looked towards him. Oh, this was perfect. Fucking perfect. He wouldn't ever hear the end of this.

"Hi, Merle." Carol smiled.

"Nice to see ya again, beautiful." He smirked as he eyed her.

For some reason this small exchange was putting Daryl in an even worse mood. He looked away from Merle, who was openly eyeing her like a hungry dog. He met her eyes once more but then suddenly her arms were around his neck. He almost pissed himself. It was a hug. A harmless fucking hug from someone he'd spent the whole day with. Someone that was nice, even to him. It didn't matter that she was pressed up against the entire length of him. His arm went around her waist and he hoped to God she would let go of him soon.

She pulled away and smiled up at him, looking shy now. Her face was flushed. She kept her hands on his shoulders. "Thanks. You know, for today. I had fun."

He nodded and she finally let go of him and started to walk away. He refused to look at Merle.

"Oh, wait." She said as she turned and headed back towards him digging through her bag as she did. She pulled out a pen and then grabbed his hand. "I forgot. This is my cell." She turned his hand and then scribbled something on his palm. When she was done she looked up. "Don't forget, okay."

He nodded and then glanced down at her number. Written under the number in all capital letters was one word. 'SMILE'. And his stupid ass did just that. For some reason that caused him to grin like a real ass.

She winked. "Much better."

He shook his head and watched her walk away. His eyes following the swing of her hips until she disappeared around the corner. He didn't realize he was still grinning until Merle slapped him on the back. Fuck. He had forgotten Merle was even standing there.

"Boy, what the _fuck_ did ya do to score with a fine, _fine_ piece of ass like that?"

"She ain't a piece of ass, Merle." He growled as he headed to the drivers side.

"Okay. But what was she thankin' ya for if ya didn't do anything?" he asked as he reached out and grabbed Daryl by the arm.

"I didn't do anything." Daryl grumbled as he looked at his brother.

Merle just nodded and then shoved a shaking hand into his pocket. "Look, I know I fucked up. I know you got your hands full and I ain't no help." He took his hand out of his pocket and then shoved something into Daryl's hand.

Daryl looked down. Money. He looked up at Merle with a grimace. "Please tell me you didn't steal this. I can't get you outta jail again Merle."

Merle shook his head. He was sweating more than he should have since clouds had started to roll in and the impending rain had cooled off the air a little. "I sold my stash. Chuck was more than happy to pay top dollar. Can't say he didn't steal it but I got it honest." He smirked. "As honest as I could anyhow."

Daryl looked down at the money in his hands. He gave Merle a real hard time, and usually it was deserved but Merle didn't do the things he did because he really was just that much of a piece of shit. He did it because he had a real problem. He was an addict. He'd tried quite a few times to quit. Daryl was pretty sure that he really wanted too. But man, the horrors he saw when Merle tried that first time to cut that demon loose. He'd been sure Merle would die. He had never seen a man so sick and it had scared the shit out of him.

He was feeling it now. Daryl could tell by the feverish look in his eye and he almost wished he'd have kept his drugs. It was going to get bad tonight. Really bad. He counted the money and there was three hundred and fifty dollars. He handed Merle half of it.

"What's this?" He asked.

Daryl hated saying what he had to say next because he really did want Merle to get better. But what Merle needed was real treatment. That last time he had tried to stop he had started siezuring so bad that Daryl had left the house, in a complete state of panic, and came back with drugs. He had shot him up himself. It had made him sick to do it but he was sure that Merle's body wouldn't have been able to take much more. He couldn't quit that shit on his own and Daryl wasn't going to risk losing his brother, even if he was an ass. "Is that enough to get you through the next couple days?"

Merle frowned. He actually looked embarrassed. Daryl could tell that really had wanted to come through for him. But that wasn't enough money to save the apartment anyway and he wasn't going to pay a water bill, plus a reconnect fee, just so they could have water the last few days they were there.

He handed Daryl a hundred back and then walked away with a fifty. "I'll be right back. Don't take off."

Daryl got back in the truck and listened to the thunder rolling in the distance. Glancing down at his hand he smiled again. What the hell was he going to do about this girl? He knew what he needed to do. Stay the hell away from her. He had a feeling, though, that that was _not_ going to happen. As long as she wanted him around then he would be. This sucked.

Merle was back quicker than expected. He looked normal once more. Well, as normal as he ever looked. Daryl guessed it was normal for Merle.

"What's this shit?" He asked as he picked up the sack Carol had sent home with him.

"Food."

"Where the hell you get food from?" Merle asked as Daryl started the truck and waited for a few cars to pass.

"Carol sent it home with me." He grumbled.

Merle looked at him with a strange look on his face.

"What?" Daryl asked, already annoyed.

"Little brother, you didn't fuck that girl for food, did ya?"

"Jesus Christ, Merle. I didn't fuck her at all, you idiot."

Merle just shrugged. I wouldn't mind fuckin' her." he muttered as he peeked into the bag.

"You stay the hell away from her, asshole." He grumbled.

"What'cha gonna do with that money? Is it enough to keep a roof over our heads?" Merle asked as he poked around at the containers.

Daryl shook his head and then stomped on the breaks. He looked out the window at the poor Charger and then smiled to himself. He knew exactly what he was going to do with some of it. And then after that he was done with the girl.

Hours later he was lying on the threadbare sofa, wide awake, staring at the ceiling and listening to the rain. The alarm clock was set for 10:55 but he had done that a few hours ago when he had decided to lay down and try to sleep. It had been a waste of time. The last time he looked at the clock it was 10:20. He wasn't going to be getting much sleep tonight.

He sat up and rubbed at his face with the heels of his hands. He didn't feel tired. He hoped he felt as awake as he did now when it was time to head out in the morning. He stood up and grabbed his boots, slipping them on quickly and then turning off the alarm. They didn't have a phone but there was a gas station right around the corner from his building that had a payphone. He felt stupid telling her that he didn't have one. She would know now though he guessed. Especially when she heard the rain. He grabbed the truck keys and put them in his pocket before he walked out the door. As far as he knew Merle was sound asleep but he had a habit of getting up and taking off in the truck in the middle of the night and Daryl wasn't going to risk him being gone when he got back.

It wasn't raining too bad. It was a steady downpour with the occasional clap of thunder but he'd seen much worse. He hurried down the stairs and onto the sidewalk. By the time he reached the phone booth he was drenched but he didn't care. He liked the rain.

He stood there for a few minutes staring at the phone and then he unclenched his fist and looked at the number that he had already memorized. Only because it was an easy number. Things like that stuck with him.

He hadn't ever called a girl before but he was twenty years old now, not seven. He wasn't a fucking kid. Plus she had adamantly insisted that he call her. Reminding him over and over so he shouldn't feel as stupid as he did at the moment. He put in the change and then dialed the number. She answered on the first ring.

"Daryl?" She asked and there was something in her voice that had him frowning.

"Yep."

"I can't do this." She said quietly, her voice cracking slightly.

"What? I thought you said you needed this job." He said as he covered his other ear with his hand so he could hear her quiet voice better over the rain.

"I do. But I didn't think it would be this bad. Some of the people here are really awful and the other waitresses are bitches and the bartender is a total sleezeball. I can't do this. And I really didn't want to tell you this but someone..." her voice trailed off and he heard her sniff. "Someone stole my car. I should have listened to you and figured out a way to get it home."

Oh shit. He didn't think she would have noticed it missing. He was going to tell her when he called and now she was crying and it was his fault. "The car's fine. It's at your house." he said quickly, feeling like a huge ass.

"Really?" She asked, sounding surprised.

"Yeah, this guy I know owed me a favor. He towed it to your house." He lied smoothly.

"Oh. Well that's good. Thank you." She still sounded so down that it had him scowling at the raindrops pouring down the side of the glass.

"Who the fuck's givin' you shit?" He asked.

"Nobody worth getting upset over." She laughed but it sounded forced. "I'm glad you called."

He leaned into the glass and blinked rainwater out of his eyes. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I knew I would need to hear a friendly voice tonight, I just didn't know how much."

"How ya gittin' home?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"I don't know anymore. I was going to try to catch a ride home with one of the other women but I don't think any of them like me. Not that I give a crap. I've never been interested in hanging out with women like them."

He laughed. "Yeah, me neither. What time you get off?" He was realizing that talking to her on the phone was a lot easier than talking to her in person. He didn't have to worry so much about saying something stupid and rude at the worst times. He just had to follow her lead. Pretty easy.

"Dale, he's the owner, he left a note saying I could leave at two since it's my first night."

Three hours. He could do that. "I'll be there."

"You don't have to do that. Look at all the stuff you've already done today."

He snorted. "What, like hit your car? Growl at you half the day?"

"You didn't mean to hit the car." She laughed and it didn't sound as forced this time. "And I think it's cute when you get all moody and growl."

He found himself blushing at that. He rolled his eyes even though she couldn't see it. "Shut up."

"Why are you so nice to me?" She asked suddenly and he could hear the smile in her voice.

He didn't answer her right away because he didn't know himself. "Ya know, I figured I need to be nice if I ever want to get inside that car of yours."

She laughed into his ear and he grinned. He was glad for the rain. If anybody saw him he would feel like a jackass. "You are so full of charm, Daryl Dixon."

"I spose so."

She sighed. "I guess I need to go."

He thought of something just then. "Carol, the people that's givin' ya shit, are they men?"

"No. They're pigs. Why? You jealous?"

He snorted again. "No. But maybe it'd help if next time they said somethin' to ya you mention Merle and me. I know there ain't a man in there that Merle ain't made bleed. And if they don't stop I want names, you hear me?"

"You want me to threaten men?" She laughed.

"If it works then you might as well. It's about time that the name Merle made for the two of us comes in handy for somebody."

"I'll see you in a few hours, okay?" Her voice was soft once more but she sounded better. A lot better.

"Yeah."

When he got back he changed out of his wet clothes, reset the alarm and then finally was able to fall asleep.

~H~

Carol didn't think she had ever been so happy to see a certain hour approach in her life. She had thirty minutes. That was all. In thirty short minutes she would be out of this hell hole and away from these people and be on her way home.

She had been surprised when Daryl had called her. He didn't seem like the calling type. He was barely the talking type at all but she was grateful he had kept his word. That had been the only thing she had to look forward too the whole night. A night made even slower because she couldn't keep from glancing down at her watch every five minutes. At 10:59 she had made her way to the empty stock room and before she had even shut the door the phone was ringing.

As soon as she heard his voice she had felt better. Like the night wasn't a complete fluke. She didn't know why _he_ was the one that she needed to hear. She could have called Shane Walsh or even Milton. She had certainly known Milton longer and Shane was a lot easier to figure out than Daryl was. Daryl was all over the place. Shy and then friendly and then observant and then protective and then distant. Eventually he seemed flat out uncomfortable around her. She had no idea what his mood would be from one minute to the next.

But what was a girl to do? There was no talking herself out of wanting to be around him. All the warnings she had received throughout the day had bounced right off her. As a matter of fact she was starting to think that maybe there was nothing at all wrong with the Dixon's other than they were different from everyone else and was forced to live in a town where people didn't like or understand them, simply because they didn't conform to what was expected from the people here. And that was a shame because she _knew,_ without a shadow of a doubt, that everyone that refused to give Daryl Dixon a chance was missing out on seeing something great. She wasn't about to let these judgmental people be the reason she missed her chance on knowing someone great.

She groaned out loud when some of the men from the table she had done everything in her power to avoid, motioned her over. She plastered on a smile, even though they had been particularly cruel for most of the night, and asked what she could get them.

They were all Ed's friends. He must have sent them to torment her since he wasn't able to do it himself. They all order another round of beers and then one of them, she was pretty sure his name was Brian, caught her by the wrist as she was about to walk away. She turned her head sharply.

"Let go." She said calmly even though she was anything but calm. She was outraged that one of them would actually put their hands on her and she was filled with a quiet fear as he met her eyes with an ugly sneer. He didn't let her go. His grip tightened painfully.

"So, you gotta tell us, Mrs. Peletier, did you really leave a man like Ed, just so you could switch out between cops and trash. Cause we hear that you were into getting' your fill of both types lately."

Her first instinct was to look at the floor. Keep her mouth shut and her eyes diverted to avoid conflict and defuse the situation. But how much had that saved her before?

"You know, if you're that interested I can let Merle and Daryl know. I'm pretty sure they would have more to say about this than I do. That is who you're referring too, right?" She gave him a tight smile.

The man dropped her hand. "You think any of us are afraid of them rednecks?" He asked as he glanced at the other two men at the table.

Carol shrugged. "I don't really care who you are or aren't afraid of." She walked away to get their drinks, heart pounding and wrist aching. She was proud of herself. She hadn't let them see how afraid she was. When she brought their drinks none of them had a thing to say. She smiled and then turned to walk away.

"You know that your _husband_ isn't gonna let you get away with the shit you've been pullin', right? You might think he'll give up eventually but he ain't got any plans for doin' that any time soon."

She didn't have anything to say to that. She already knew that it was true. She didn't care that she still had ten minutes. She went straight to the back and clocked out, grabbed her things and took off towards the door. She went out and didn't even hesitate when she saw the rain. She stormed right out in it. When she saw the truck she blew out a sigh of relief. He was early. She hadn't even considered that she would end up having to wait on him. She somehow knew he would be there.

She was thankful for the rain. There were tears on her face but he wouldn't notice. Hell, he had barely looked at her for the remainder of the afternoon anyway so maybe he wouldn't look at her now. But he had sounded normal on the phone so maybe he was over his mood.

She instantly felt guilty when she pulled herself up into the truck. He offered her a sleepy smile and she felt horrible. It was obvious he was tired but he had dragged himself all the way here, in the rain, just to give her a ride home.

"Did it get any better?" He asked as he started the truck and backed out onto the wet pavement.

The only thing she could do was shake her head. Not trusting her voice. All she wanted to do at this point was crawl into bed and not leave the house again for a week.

"It probably will." He sighed and then yawned loudly causing her to slump even further into the seat.

"It will once I find a better job. _If _I find a better job. And if Ed decides to finally leave me be." She muttered as she watched the rain slide down the window next to her.

"Ed? Was he there tonight?" He asked and to her it sounded like he was a little more alert... and maybe angry.

"His friends were. That was bad enough."

"I know'em. Bunch of pussies, really." he said after a pause. "Hey, you know how long this rain is gonna last?" He peered through the windshield, looking distracted.

This got her to smile. "Just all day today and then the entire weekend."

"Son of a bitch." He muttered under his breath. "You care if I use your phone when we get to your place? I'll make it quick."

She smiled. She had just been wishing that she could think of some excuse to get to hang out with him more but he looked bone weary and she wasn't going to ask him inside. Maybe if he came in and she could get him to talking like she had done earlier then she wouldn't have to be alone for the rest of the night. "I owe you big time for not making me walk in the rain. And for making my night a little better. Anything in that house you want, consider it yours."

His head shot towards her and then back to the street quickly. She wasn't sure since the truck cab was so dim but she could have sworn he was blushing. He had done that off and on all day long, especially on the ride back to the bar this evening. She just couldn't figure out why. She didn't think about it too much because then she would have grown self conscious.

He wordlessly pulled into her driveway, not stopping until he was as close to the house as he could get. The rain had let up a little but the thunder was still rolling. She was about to try to fight with her door but he just grunted. "I got it."

He came around and opened the door for her. She hopped down, lost her footing in the stupid heels she had to wear, and nearly topped over but his hands were there at her waist, steadying her. The feel of his strong hands there had her breath catching in her throat. He didn't let go right away either which had her thoughts in a jumbled. She raised her head slowly to meet his eye and noticed that his jaw was twitching and his eyes were wider than usual. A few more _long_ seconds later he drew his hands away slowly.

"Stupid shoes." She muttered with a weak smile.

He nodded and then followed her to the porch. She was half expecting her front door to be kicked in. She knew that Ed was furious. She was certain that it looked like her and Daryl had been standing in front of her house, in broad daylight, holding hands. Not that it was any of his business anyway. But still, she was surprised as she slipped the key into the lock and swung the door open. He hadn't acted yet but she was sure that he would.

They stood there awkwardly in the foyer for a few seconds as he went out of his way to avoid looking at her. Yeah, she was definitely starting to feel self conscious. She heard herself speaking before she realized that she was going to speak to begin with.

"Do I really look that bad in this?" She instantly felt the heat rise in her cheeks after that question bubbled out of her mouth. Oh God. Why did she have to ask that. If he was honest and said that she truly did look bad then that would be a blow she wasn't sure she would recover from.

His surprised gaze swept over her and she could have sworn, in that quick assessment, that every spot his eyes landed instantly burned. His eyes caught hers and held them. "You can't be that stupid." he grumbled and then turned, showing himself to the kitchen.

She stared after him before following. Was that a compliment? She almost giggled. She wasn't used to compliments and one from him would probably have her squirming for days. He didn't seem the type to hand them out freely.

When she stepped into the kitchen he glanced up at her and then away again, the phone pressed against his ear and a frown on his face. She surprised herself by going straight to the liquor cabinet and pulling out the first bottle she happened to spot. She ignored his end of the phone conversation, knowing it was none of her business, even though she was curious as to who he could be calling this late. Or early, depending on how you looked at it.

She put a little ice in a glass and then poured the amber liquid, filling the glass up halfway. After the night she had had she deserved a drink. Even though she never really drank anything. Tonight was worse than she could have imagined.

She brought the glass to her lips, her back still turned to him and then jumped when she heard his unusually loud voice.

"Fuck." He barked.

She spun around. He was scowling at the phone in his hand and she couldn't help but wonder if maybe he had a girlfriend or something that he was trying to keep tabs on. This thought had her taking a much larger drink than she had originally planned and she nearly spit it out. She choked it down, however, rolling her tongue around the sharp taste in her mouth.

"I take it that wasn't good news?" She asked, as she leaned against the cabinet.

He looked up and then his eyes went wide. "Are you _drinkin'_?" the corner of his mouth lifted just enough for her to notice.

"I earned it." She said haughtily.

This earned her an actual laugh. "I spose you did." He shook his head and then pushed himself away from the counter, sighing loudly as he pulled out one of the stools and sat down.

"Who'd you call?" She asked, trying to sound like she didn't give a crap.

He shook his head. "My boss. No work for me today."

She bit her lip for a second and then tilted her head. "Most people would consider that good news."

He shook his head. "Most people ain't as broke as I am." he muttered.

"Where do you work?" She asked, trying like hell to keep him where he was. She already felt loneliness settling in. The large house felt smaller when he was in it. Like there wasn't so much room for bad things to happen.

"Jones and Son Construction. Next town over. Ain't much we can do in the rain though." he yawned again. "So they called off for the day."

She felt her face turning red even before the image of him shirtless in the sun with a tool belt hanging from his low slung pants even fully entered her brain. Jesus Christ, she'd never get rid of that picture in her head. He'd definitely be sweaty... "You want to spend the night with me?" The words once again escaped her lips without her putting any thought in them.

His head shot up, eyes raking over her once more. "What?" he choked.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, thanks for all the get well wishes. Hopefully they'll work soon. You gotta love Spring... right? Anyway, this is one of those chapters that is going to make some of you say, "No! Why are you having them do THAT!" But I never do these things without a reason. Besides, I was highly medicated and this chapter had me giggling throughout my haze. Haha. So, don't yell at me! Unless you really want too ;) Then I suppose you can. Just don't forget that there is a point here! I love you all for reviewing! I really do! There is a special place in my heart all carved out and comfy for every one of you sweet people XD Okay, so go read and I hope you enjoy! **

Chapter Six

Daryl felt panic settle in his chest but something else settle in as well. What the fuck was she talking about? Did she want him to _sleep_ here or did she want him... well, just want him? He had no idea. He should have called her a fucking cab. He still had some money. The tow truck hadn't costed him all that much since it was just a tow to her house and not out of town or anything. Now he was just gaping at her and her face was so red he knew she hadn't even meant to ask.

He took a heavy breath and then walked right up to her. He was being a pussy. Merle would be ashamed of him. Like he gave a fuck about what Merle thought of him but still. Merle would have known exactly what she meant and he just flat out had not one clue. Then again, any female Merle spent any time with would have been around specifically to screw. She wasn't one of those girls. She was different.

He reached out and took the glass from her and then drained it. "Sure." he said, trying to keep his eyes focused on hers. "Where am I suppose to sleep?" If she said with her then he was going to surely do or say something that was too stupid for words.

"There's two extra rooms upstairs. You pick." She grinned.

A huge part of him was relieved and another part of him was disappointed and he was trying really really hard to deal with the fact the _every_ part of him flat out fucking wanted her. And that was a hard concept for him because he really didn't think he would ever find anyone he would want. Not like that. Not like_ this_. This was pretty bad and he only knew this chick for a day and that didn't seem to matter to his head... or any other part of him.

He vaguely remembered coming to the decision to stay away from her and all the shit she stirred up in his mind. But that voice was quiet right now. The truth was, she was a lot more like him than he thought possible. She was young and she was facing a cold world, alone, with more weight on her shoulders than she could handle. Same as him. This realization was a little shocking to him. That he found himself really connecting to someone else, anyone else.

"So, what do we do then? I ain't never had a sleep over." He was trying his hand at jokes since she looked as uncomfortable as he felt at the moment. He gripped the neck of an expensive looking bottle of whiskey while he smirked down at her to try to hide his own thoughts. "Do we get drunk and have..."

"Daryl Dixon, if you say sex I swear I _will _hose you down." She said bravely but he could see even more color rise up in her face as she fought a grin.

His hand tightened on the neck of the bottle. He pictured himself saying that and then he couldn't stop the laugh that escaped his throat.

"That was a joke. I was just..." Now she looked flustered. "I meant the hosing down part." frustration lined her forehead. "Not that I want too..."

"I was gonna say a pillow fight. But it's your house. Your rules." He shrugged, trying hard to hide the fact that his heart was hammering against his ribcage, and then her laughter was filling the kitchen. The tension slowly ebbed down and he was glad. He took a few long gulps from the bottle and then handed it to her. "You want this?" He hadn't had a drink for quite some time. He drank a lot when he was a teenager but decided to stop. He didn't want to be like his old man. This stuff was a lot better than anything he ever had before.

She made a face at the bottle. "It's hot." She looked up, still blushing but she was recovering.

He shook his head. "It's better that way. Just try it."

She turned up the bottle just as he had done. She swallowed it down and he watched as she fought to keep her face straight. She must not have fought hard enough because she scrunched up her face and shook her head, handing the bottle back. "You're crazy. I like it better in the glass. With ice in it."

"Cause you're a _girl._" he teased. He was already feeling a little looser just from the little bit he had drank. He was going to have to be careful. Really careful. If not then he was going to make a real ass of himself.

Her eyes narrowed. "Is that right?" She took the bottle and refilled her glass. "If I'm just a _girl_ then what does that make you? I'm the only one here that's even old enough to drink. _Little boy. _I could actually get arrested for this, you know. Contributing and all."

He snorted. "That's fair. You win." He shrugged.

"You give up too easy Dixon." She winked and then drained her glass.

Forty five minutes later they were both on the tile floor facing one another. Neither of them had been smart enough to keep an eye on how much they were drinking and neither of them had a very high tolerance. She had her legs stretched out in front of her with her feet crossed at the ankles. Her back was pressed against the cabinet. He was sitting Indian style, still, even in his drunken state, trying to ignore the fact that her bare calve was pressed against his thigh. She was still wearing the waitress outfit but he was getting used to it... a little.

She had started talking and she hadn't stopped for some time. He sat there, sipping the bottle and watching as her face would light up at a certain memory and then darken at others. He was completely entranced and they had been passing the bottle back and forth the whole time. She seemed to be brooding now though and he was waiting for her to go on, killing the time by taking in as much of her as he could with his eyes before he lost his nerve. He felt a lot more brave than he had earlier.

It was that or he was beyond caring if she caught him eyeballing her. He wasn't sure.

"Are you listening to me?" She asked with a laugh.

"No." He grinned. He had the bottle resting in the space between his legs and she reached for it. He didn't freak out. He just watched her hand moving towards his crotch, barely remembering the bottle was there. He didn't even hold his breath. Alcohol was a nice thing to have while she was around.

Her small hand wrapped around the neck of the bottle and he felt his eyebrows shoot up.

"I was asking if you thought this was strange." She said as she unscrewed the cap, dropped it, tried to catch it, missed and then watched sadly as it rolled across the tile a few feet away from them. She sighed and then frowned.

"Think what's strange?" He asked as he too looked on at the sad and lonely bottle cap.

"Me." she said as she dragged her eyes from the cap back to him.

He frowned. "You? Pffft! You ain't strange. You're..." He was going to say perfect but that was a bit much. He wasn't drunk enough for _that._

"I am." She nodded emphatically and then raised her chin. "I am a real stranger." She made a face and then shook her head. "I don't mean that. I mean that I am a real strange... I mean that..."

"You're a weirdo?" He offered as he fought off a grin.

She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "I am. I am a weirdo, Daryl."

"No you ain't." He argued.

She nodded. "I got my ass kicked. A lot. And I got my ass kicked by somebody that wasn't suppose to kick my ass."

Sometimes people brought things up so they could get pity from other people. He could tell, even in his semi stupor, that this was not where she was going. Her eyes were clear and her voice was strong. No crying or whining. She was just stating facts that she would probably never let slip out if they hadn't gone through most of a bottle of whiskey. He sighed. "That wasn't your fault, Carol."

"It was my fault for staying. And now look at me. I'm sittin' on the floor. On the _floor_, dressed like a hooker, drunk with a boy that I barely know. You know what you could do to me right now if you wanted too?" She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. "_Anything._" She stressed. "And if you did, it wouldn't be anyones fault but my own cause I invited you in and drank _all_ of this alcohol with you and I have only known you for _hours._" She took another drink before going on. "And that makes me a very strange weird girl. Because I should know better than to trust people. Know better than to trust any people."

He bit his lip and studied her for a few seconds. Or maybe a few minutes. He couldn't tell anymore. She did have a point. Maybe all this was a really bad idea. It was her idea but he could have told her no. He hadn't had to agree to stay with her. He could be home asleep right now. "If ya think I'd hurt ya I can go. I can't go far but I can sleep in the truck so you ain't gotta be scared." he offered.

Now her face fell and she slumped against the cabinet in defeat. "You don't really like me very much, do you?"

He snorted. "What? You're crazy." he narrowed his eyes.

"Do you want to sleep in your truck?"

"That depends." He countered.

She straightened up once more, not letting herself feel down for long. "On what?"

"Do you think I would do somethin' like Ed did? Cause if you do then I don't wanna be here."

She looked completely stunned for a few seconds and then she surprised him by smiling. "I don't think you would hurt me. You, Daryl Dixon, are my _friend_. You make me feel good. But I shouldn't be so quick to feel like that. That's how I meant it. I feel like I shouldn't trust you but I do." She shrugged.

Maybe he shouldn't encourage her to drink after tonight. She was all over the place and it was confusing the hell out of him. He shook his head. "And you don't look like a hooker." He said, trying to change the subject.

"I do." She nodded and took another drink.

He grabbed the bottle from her quickly and took a drink of his own. "Lot's of girls wear skirts. Nothin' wrong with that. Most of'em wear skirts that are a lot shorter than yours too."

"I can't wear those." She said matter of factly, her gaze intent on him now, eyes not wavering but there was something there that had him thinking she was regretting telling him that. Just a subtle look, but it was there. He was learning to read her pretty well, drunk or not.

"Why not?" He asked.

Her eyebrows pulled together in a frown and she bit her lip and now she really did look like she might cry. Her eyes were tearing up slightly and then she took the bottle from him, turned it up and took way too many gulps before she she slammed it down on the floor hard enough to cause him to flinch. Her brow smoothed out as she studied him. He watched her, not sure what to do or say. She was having some sort of inner battle and he would let her wage it in peace.

Her eyes swam out of focus for a few seconds and he was sure now that those last few chugs from that bottle was really knocking her on her ass. He figured by now she was seeing two of him. It was taking every ounce of focus he had to not see double himself.

He saw her win the war in her mind by the way her eyes once again met his sharply. Her chin came up in that cute way it did when she was trying to put on her strong face. "Are you my friend, Daryl?" She slurred slightly.

He nodded but didn't say anything.

"Am I your friend?" She whispered.

He thought about that for just a second and decided he would be as honest as he could. "I think you might be the only friend I ever had." He whispered back and wished he hadn't because suddenly he felt like she was seeing much too much of him.

She nodded and then slid her legs around and raised up unsteadily onto her knees. "If I show you somethin' do you promise you wont tell anybody?" She was still whispering and her eyes were tearing up again. "I think then you'd know why I shouldn't trust anybody. Even you."

He nodded, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. She took his hands and tugged until he was on his knees also, only about six inches away from her. She dropped one of his hands and he let it fall to his side. He kept his eyes glued to hers and she was doing the same. She blinked a few times and swayed a little and the hand at his side instantly shot out to her waist to steady her.

"What are ya tryin' to show me?" He asked, unable to mask the confusion he was feeling.

"Shhhhh." She shooshed him so he shut his mouth and waited. She took a deep breath, swayed a bit once more and then placed the hand that she was still holding onto her inner thigh.

He froze. She watched him. She moved her hand away from his and bit her lip once more. Her skin felt hot and smooth under his hand. He didn't know what to do now. He swallowed hard and then moved his hand up hesitantly but only about a half inch. He felt like every once of blood in his body was pumping straight to his crotch but there was a small voice in his head telling him that this was something else. Something that wasn't about what he first thought this was about. He tried to block out any thoughts of this being anything sexual. He tried. Maybe if he was sober he would have succeeded but at the moment he wasn't sure he would win. To someone like him, that avoided physical contact at all cost, this seemed beyond sexual.

After that small movement she nodded, encouraging him to keep his hand moving and so he did, until he reached the hem of the skirt. He froze once more his eyes suddenly needing to dart away but he held them steady with sheer willpower.

She nodded once more and he let out the breath he had been holding. He was losing his nerve. Her skin was too hot, his hand too slow in it's progress but she silently urged him on. Watching him closely, but for what? Some reaction? He was trying to control his breathing but he was having trouble with that.

When he still didn't move his hand she moved it for him with her own but she didn't rush it, maybe sensing that he was about on overload and if she didn't want him to bolt, like he suddenly felt like doing, then she needed to be as slow as he had been. Had he not been damn near as drunk as her he would have been embarrassed by his nervousness that she was obviously sensing but he was starting to feel more curious than afraid. Although he was a little worried about what she might expect him to do once his hand reached the top because he had no fucking clue what he was doing. That was Merle's specialty, not his. He worked and provided, as much as he could. Merle fucked girls. That was who they were.

Finally he had had enough. He was looking like a real pussy right now and he was drunk enough to decide to say fuck it. If this girl wanted his hand up her skirt them by god, he was gonna put his hand up her skirt. He slipped his hand up her inner thigh and then froze once more when he felt the smooth texture of her skin change. He frowned as he ran his thumb over a part of her skin that was no longer smooth. He knew what it was. A scar. Finally, after guiding him to this strange destination she dropped her eyes. She was either unwilling or unable to look at him anymore.

He felt anger at first. His thumb trailed lazily over the entire length of it. It was long and had been pretty deep. A half inch higher he felt another and he did the same thing with this one tracing the entire thing with his thumb as his fingers sought out the next one above it. On the very last one he hesitated once more. This was much higher up than the first one had been and when his fingers trailed across this one he couldn't help to also graze the edge of what felt like lace. Now he was swallowing hard again and she met his eyes once more. He knew what she had meant now, about trusting people, about feeling like she shouldn't trust him. No this wasn't about sex.

He could tell by her downcast eyes that she hated this part about herself. Maybe it made her feel like she wasn't attractive. She was ashamed of this but he didn't see it this way. This made her all the more perfect in his alcohol soaked mind. Things like this made a person _real_. And she trusted him enough to show him what she assumed was a huge imperfection.

"Is there more?" he whispered.

She nodded, picked up the bottle and turned it up one more time. He was about to tell her that she'd had too much but he let her go. She'd be feeling it in the morning but there was a reason they called it courage in a bottle.

He needed to move his hand away. She had shown him what she had wanted to show him so why did his hand refuse to move? And how had his fingers gone from stroking the scar to simply gliding across the very edge of her panties? She was trying to show him a very private thing, a secret that she didn't tell anyone and although he knew what a huge deal that was for some reason he couldn't focus on that. And then that made him feel like a real piece of shit because he understood. He really did understand. But it was really hard form him to focus. She thought there was something wrong with her because of this and he wanted more than anything in the world at that moment to show her that there was nothing wrong at all. Not with her.

"It's gross, huh?" She whispered.

He shook his head as he stared at her mouth. If she thought those scars were going to be a turn off she was very mistaken.

"You're a liar, Dixon." her breath blew across his lips and he had no idea how his face had gotten so close to hers. All he could smell was hot liquor.

He shook his head again, fighting the urge to seek out the source of the heat that was radiating off of her, not much caring anymore that he wasn't sure what to do with it once he found it.

"It wont hurt my feelings if you tell me the truth. I already know. I just wanted you to know. Cause you're..."

"I wanna see'em." he said in a rush, not knowing why he wanted to but knowing he did. He didn't want her to feel like anything about her was gross. Nothing about her was gross and he was drunk enough to want to show her that. Even if he would regret it eventually he wanted her to _know_ that she could trust him. And he knew he couldn't show her after this because after this he would be sober and to chicken shit to do anything. He took the bottle from her and then killed the rest of it. He moved his hand from under her skirt, instantly missing the warmth he found there.

She shook her head. "You don't wanna see that."

"There ain't nothin' wrong with you, you got that?" He hissed and she blinked and then to his surprise she smiled, just a little.

"You're sweet." She mumbled and then wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're drunk." he countered, wrapping his own arms around her waist with no hesitation at all.

She frowned. "_You_ are drunk."

He noticed how the rest of the room was starting to spin around him. She wasn't the only one that shouldn't have taken those last few swallows. "No I ain't." He argued with a shake of his head that did nothing to help the spinning.

"So we aren't drunk." She slurred.

"No." he said the word instead of giving another head shake, not sure if it would cause him to feel even more dizzy.

She bit her lip and he groaned out loud. "Do you wanna see my room?" She asked with a smile.

He nodded eagerly, forgetting what those head movements were doing to his equilibrium. He figured that he should be a little more apprehensive about what he thought was about to happen. She had been a married woman. She knew exactly what she was doing. Him? He didn't know shit. Nothing other than what he had seen on Merle's t.v. When he would walk in on him watching one of those nasty porno's and that shit couldn't be the way things really happened.

He stood up, pulling her up with him. She grabbed his hand but before she could lead him out of the room she nearly fell, he jerked her back into him with an arm around her waist and then he nearly fell himself but he was able to catch his balance by holding onto the liquor cabinet. He heard glass break behind him as the glass that she had first started drinking from crashed to the floor.

"I can't walk in these." She breathed and then kicked off the shoes. When they were off she grabbed his hand again and then led him out of the kitchen.

He wasn't sure if he was going to make it. It seemed like there were a thousand stairs and they kept tripping over them and each other and then laughing like fools. It was really killing the mood. And it was causing the whole fucking house to weave around him. He needed something to focus his eyes on so he stared at the top step and kept going for what seemed like forever. But finally they made it. Or more like she made it. At least to the top step and then she turned around and sat down.

"What are ya doin'?" He grumbled. They had finally made it and now here she was, giving up.

"That was so hard. I never thought I would ever think that stairs would be so... _hard." _Her eyes seemed out of focus again and once more the room was starting to tilt on him.

He leaned his shoulder into the wall to try to regain some control of the situation. He was halfway afraid that he would fall backwards.

He was still on the stairs, as were her legs but her ass was technically in the hallway. So he didn't have to worry about her falling down the stairs, only himself. He eased down the wall until he was on his knees once more. He felt her hands on him and he opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them in the first place. She had her hands fisted into his shirt and she was pulling him towards her. He had to brace his hands on either side of her at the top of the stairs for fear of his face falling right into her knees. She tugged the shirt up over his head and tossed it over her shoulder.

"We're not drunk, right?" She whispered as she pulled his face towards hers.

"Nope." He muttered. He ran his hands up the outsides of her thighs all the way up her skirt until he felt the waistband of her panties so he could hook them with his fingers and tug them down. She lifted herself up slightly. When he had them off he only looked at them long enough to determine they were black lace and then they were gone. He felt her hands on the side of his face and had to force himself to open his eyes again. What the fuck was he doing closing his eyes so much?

He felt her mouth at the base of his throat and he didn't have to worry anymore about his eyes closing. They were wide open as he felt her tongue slide across his skin. Jesus Christ. He could hardly remember where the hell he was while she was doing that.

She pulled her mouth away from his neck, breathing heavily, eyes huge. "Bedroom." She whispered.

That was all she had to say to him to have him getting to his feet. How the hell had they gotten all the way to the middle of the hallway? He forgot what he had just been thinking when her mouth was suddenly at his ear, teeth grazing his earlobe lightly as she walked backwards to whatever bedroom door she was leading him too. She finally backed into a narrow tabled that was sitting against the wall and in his hast he simply lifted her onto it. More glass broke as something hit the hardwood floor.

He deftly had her shirt lifted over her head and then she gasped. "No, wait." She reached for the shirt but he had already tossed it. Shaking his head and then taking her in for a second. She had one arm wrapped around her midsection and her face suddenly looked scared.

He instantly pulled away. "We can stop." He breathed. "If you wanna stop then that's alright." He tried to stop the slur but it was there.

She shook her head and hopped down from the table. "I don't want to. I don't wanna stop. I want my shirt back."

He glanced at the floor, to make sure she wasn't standing in glass. Whatever had fallen had fallen to the side. He made a frustrated sound. Her bra was black lace too and the last thing he wanted was for her to put the shirt back on. And then something caught his eye as he looked her over. Her arms were too slender to hide them all. More of those scars.

He was starting to feel more dizzy than he had earlier so he braced his arms on the wall, one on either side of her head. She was watching him, unsure what to do and then finally she pulled her arms away from herself and wrapped then around his neck once more. He grinned, but he didn't look down. Once again going from awkward revelations to being all over each other.

He felt completely disoriented. His head seemed to want to spin one way and the room was trying to spin in a totally different direction. But he didn't let that stop him. He had her on the bed faster than he thought he would and his mouth was everywhere. When his tongue found the long scar that ran down the length of her stomach she tangled her hands into his hair and moaned. He laughed. Not at her but at the fact that he must have been pretty good at all this. He brought his head back up, kissing a trail from her shoulder back to her neck.

She had his pants undone before he even knew what she was doing, using her feet to shove them down. They both started laughing again, for some strange reason and then her laugh abruptly died.

"Oh." She groaned. It wasn't a good groan either.

He lifted his head and stared down at her. "What?"

"Oh, no. No no." She shoved at his chest until he rolled off of her and then she slid off the bed, hand covering her mouth as she stumbled out of the room.

He watched her go and then fell onto his back. Fuck! They drank too much and now she was sick. He glanced down at himself. He was in his boxers. Where the hell had his pants gone? He couldn't remember. The room was spinning faster and faster and he had no choice but to close his eyes. This made him feel even worse so he opened his eyes again and focused on the light fixture. As long as he kept his eyes trained right there he was okay. The world was still spinning sickeningly but as long as he put all his concentration in that one spot it kept him grounded. Kept him from spinning along with everything else.

After a while he thought that maybe he was okay to go check on her but then he felt the mattress move and he turned his head. She looked pitiful. She was curled up on her side, looking at him intently with wide watery eyes. Damn it... in his haste to get to the bed he hadn't even had a chance to kiss her. And he really wanted too. But now she'd be all pukey and that didn't seem too appealing. Even if it was her and she was the single most amazing thing in the goddamn world, he still didn't want to kiss her after she threw up. He sighed. That was just nasty.

"You lied." She whispered.

He frowned and then rolled over, putting a hand on her skirt clad hip. She still hadn't found that shirt and now he was far beyond caring if she knew he was checking her out. "Bout what?" He slurred as his eyes drifted lazily over her.

"You said we weren't drunk. I just _puked_. I never puke. And I feel awful." now she was whining and he didn't want to laugh at her but he did anyway.

"You're right. You're drunk. Go to sleep." He rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes. He figured maybe he should find their clothes. Or maybe move on to a different room since it was pretty obvious he wasn't getting laid now. Then he changed his mind after he felt her move closer and drape an arm over his waist.

Nah. He'd stay right the fuck there.

**I forgot to mention that we are suppose to be getting some very bad storms over the next few days so if I don't respond to you or you don't see an update tomorrow then it is probably because I have no power... Or me and my laptop was blown away! Lets hope it's just a power outage. Thank you all for reading =) There was no sex! I didn't go there yet! And I have a surprise for you all in the next chapter. A character that you don't see much of that is giving me some grief to write but hopefully you all enjoy her/him... I'm not even going to spill the gender XD**


	7. Chapter 7

**I am posting this earlier because I can XD! No, I really just wanted to have it posted before I go to bed. I hope I wake up to a lot of happy readers! =) The storms got bad for a little while and tree fell on my house! I nearly pissed myself. It was loud and scary and I nearly grabbed my laptop and ran away! Very little damage was done and everyone was perfectly fine but still. I needed a drink after that! Anyway, thank you guys for not yelling at me for making them do stuff... and thangs! ;) I hope you like this chapter. I hope you are at least a little surprised by the person I have decided to bring in, as one of the main characters. I hope everyone has a great day! Be safe. And for Gods sake! Watch out for trees. I have no trust in them anymore. I'm scarred for life! And I would also like to add that it is Brooklyn'sRoisinDubh's Birthday today! Happy birthday my friend! **

Chapter Seven

Daryl couldn't even bring himself to open his eyes. The pounding in his head was enough to make him feel nausea well up inside him. It felt as though every time his heart would beat it was sending shock waves of pain through his head. He was having trouble remembering what the hell he could have done that would cause him to be in so much pain. Had he gotten into a fight? Had he crashed his truck?

He could tell there was muted light hitting his face by the way the backs of his eyelids were lit up with a hazy red tint. They didn't have any windows in the living room of their apartment. Was he in the hospital? He opened his eyes quickly but then slammed them shut again as soon as the light hit him and made his head feel even worse.

Something moved. Something warm and soft and very much alive was pressed up against him. There were legs tangled up with his own and under his hand was the bare skin of someones back. The sickening pain in his head intensified when his heart started pounding, sending more blood to his head.

Carol.

He forced his eyes open then. Yep. Carol. She was wrapped around him like a blanket. There was a sheet pulled up over them but he noticed right away the thin black strap that had traveled down her arm. His eyes moved down and as he could have already guessed, there was her bra clad chest pressed against his. Fuck.

He remembered now. He remembered coming in so he could call his new boss and he remembered her asking him to stay with her. He remembered drinking... a lot. Other things started tumbling through his head then, not clear enough to fully grasp but there all the same. His hand running up her thigh, the stairs... nothing else. What had he done? What did they do?

He moved his leg, that was trapped between the softness of her own, just enough to determine that his leg was bare. Jesus. Was he _naked_? Had they...? Surely not. Surely they hadn't done _that_. He wanted to run away. Grab his shit and jump out the fucking window and run to his goddamn truck and then forget that this ever happened. He'd fucked her! And he didn't even remember it!

She stirred a little in his arms and he stiffened. Shit. She was going to wake up and freak out and think he'd took advantage of her just like Merle would have done. His head was splitting, his mouth was dry, his heart felt like it was about to explode out of his chest and she was moving again, sliding one of those perfect fucking legs right between his own.

"Carol?" He nearly barked right before her thigh reached a very critical place. His head, unfortunately wasn't the only thing throbbing anymore. And he needed to wake her up. He needed to get the fuck out of this room and away from this house. At least now he wouldn't have to worry about avoiding her. He doubted she'd ever speak to him again after this.

Her brow furrowed and she frowned but her eyes remained close for a few more seconds. When she opened them she mostly looked confused at first. And then she looked down and saw how close they were, that they were in her bed and that neither of them were wearing hardly anything at all.

"Daryl?" She whispered with eyes that grew to the size of saucers. "What did we _do_?" That last word was strained.

He shook his head, realized that he still had his hand on her back and jerked it away. "I don't know." he choked. "I swear. I don't remember anything." Except now there was a vague memory of him tossing her panties over his shoulder. Oh god...

She slowly pulled away from him, careful to keep the sheet over herself as she rolled onto her back. "Are you naked?" She asked as she stared at the ceiling.

He peeked under the sheet and was happy to see that he was still wearing boxers. "Not all the way." he muttered, still feeling like he wanted to die. He had realized last night when he was talking to her on the phone that he really liked her. Found himself excited by the fact that he even had a person to call. Someone that didn't let the things she heard about him bother her. And he had fucked that all up. In one stupid night he had ruined any chance he had at having someone _there._ Someone to look at him and smile and not look at him either in disgust or outright fear. All of that was over and he'd only had it for less than a day.

"I hardly remember anything." She groaned as she covered her face with her hands. Her voice cracked. "I never should have asked you to stay here."

That kind of hurt. He sighed. "Look, I'll get my shit and go, okay. If neither one of us remember then it didn't happen. We can both go on with our lives and forget that any of yesterday ever happened. No big deal." He lied. It was a huge deal. To him anyway.

She tore her hands away from her face and glared at him. "You just want to leave? And then what? Avoid me like the plague because of... because of _this_? Daryl Dixon, that's about the meanest thing I've ever heard you say."

She was really crying now and he had no idea what she wanted him to say. "What do ya want me to do then?" He sounded exasperated but a little relieved too. She didn't want him gone. Not yet anyway.

She glared at him. "Do whatever you want." She snapped. "I'm not going to beg you to stick around. Asshole."

"I'm tryin' to make this easier on you. What the fuck do you _want_?" He frowned. He didn't have a clue why she was so pissed off at him. The only time he ever talked to girls was when he was kicking Merle's out of their apartment. He thought she would be relieved that he would just go and not make a big deal out of any of it.

She lifted her head and narrowed her eyes. Just the look on her face had his head pounding that much more. "Easier on _me_? I bet. You come over here and get your rocks off and then don't speak to me again. You aren't a stupid boy, Daryl. You know that isn't what I would ever want."

That was bullshit! He glared right back. "You invited me to stay here, you forget that part? I didn't come here to fuck you and leave. You always such a bitch in the mornin'?"

Her mouth dropped and then she shut it quickly. "Did you really just call me a bitch? _After _insinuating that all of this is my fault? Really? I didn't want you to stay because I wanted to sleep with you, you adolescent jerk! Maybe I get nervous when I'm alone. Maybe being with you makes me feel safe. Maybe I wanted you to stay because I _like _you. And I thought the feeling was mutual. But if it would make your life easier to leave and never speak to me again then by all means, Daryl, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out."

By the end of her little temper tantrum she was yelling. The sound causing fresh pain to wash over his brain. Maybe all this time Merle had been right. Women were fucking crazy. "I don't want that." he said quietly as he squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. "But you gotta tell me what the fuck you want."

He cracked one eye open and looked at her one more time. She was studying him skeptically. "I agree with you. We should forget all about this. And then I want you to stay here while I take a shower. And when I get out, we'll both be dressed and decent and just Daryl and Carol, okay?" She brightened. "And I'll even cook you breakfast."

He wasn't expecting that at all. "Are you serious?"

She nodded. "Yes I am."

He still felt embarrassed over this whole mess but she had a point. They could just forget it ever happened. Neither one of them even knew what happened in the first place. And this was a good thing. She was a good thing. He'd take whatever he could get so he nodded. "Alright, go shower then."

She tossed a pillow over his face. "Do _not _look until you hear me shut the door. Got it?"

He nodded and then laughed. This wasn't so bad. The worst part seemed to be over anyway. She had freaked out a little but mostly it was because she thought he was going to leave. He heard hangers clinking together and new she was going through the closet. He kept the pillow over his face, by sheer willpower.

He tossed it as soon as he heard the door close. He sat up, holding his head in his hands and groaning out loud. Sitting up made it even worse. He stood up with the heels of his hands still pressed to his eyes. He waited for the pain to ease up a little before he took his hands away. When he did he spotted his pants in the middle of the room but once he started looking for his shirt it was no where to be seen.

He studied the room for a few minutes before leaving it. He'd never had room like this. Spacious and clean. There was some clutter on the dresser and for some reason he found himself standing in front of it. There were some framed photos that he laughed at. Her as a kid on some old dudes shoulders. Another of what looked like a senior picture of her smiling into the camera. The rest was typical girl stuff. Perfume and face cream and crap like that. He picked up one of the bottles and sniffed it quickly. Yep, definitely Carol. He sat it down and then felt stupid for sniffing it in the first place.

When he got to the hallway he stopped. There was a table with half it's contents broken on the floor beside it and there was Carol's shirt tossed over by the stairs. Jesus, what the hell had they _done_? Through the pain in his head he thought he was starting to remember something else. Lifting her onto the table. The way her tongue felt gliding across his throat...

Fuck... But at least he remembered a little more now. And she seemed to have liked it. From what little he could remember. That was good. Or not good since it was something they were going to try to forget about. He kind of wished he would stop remembering because if his memories became more clear and he actually remembered what it felt like to really be with her then he wasn't going to be able to keep going on like nothing happened.

A loud bang at the door jerked him from his reverie. Shit. It was probably one of the neighbors or one of her friends or that asshole big shot cop that seemed to be so friendly with her. Asshole. He stood outside the bathroom door. He could hear the shower.

"Carol?" He called.

"What!"

"Somebody's knockin' like they're they goddamn police."

He heard her laugh. "Then answer it."

"Goddamn it." He grumbled as he hurried down the stairs, ignoring the pain in his head.

He should knock the shit out of whoever it was. They didn't have any business knocking so damn loud. He yanked open the door, ready to give somebody at least a little hell but he was too surprised when he saw who it was to get any proper bitching done.

"Merle? The fuck you doin' here?" He asked, squinting agianst the pain. From the looks of it it was going to be pouring again by the afternoon.

"Been lookin' for you all over the damn place." Merle growled. Then he must have finally took in Daryl's disheveled appearance. He was shirtless, shoeless, and he could tell his hair was sticking up everywhere. He ran a quick hand through it. "I knew you was fuckin' that girl. I'm proud baby brother. Woman like her," He shook his head, "That's a hard one to come by."

"Merle, what the fuck are you doin' here?" he asked once more as he glanced towards the stairs behind him.

Merle's grin fell quickly. "You ain't gonna be too happy, baby brother. You just remember that it ain't gonna be like it was before, okay?"

"The fucks goin' on?" he asked, a feeling of dread causing his stomach to ache.

He heard heavy boots coming up onto the porch. Merle gave him one more worried look and then stepped to the side. Daryl's heart fell to his feet.

"Dad?" He croaked.

There stood Buck Dixon. Bigger than Daryl remembered. He stood nearly six and a half feet tall. Grey hair cropped close to his head, blue eyes cold as ice and a ready smirk for his baby boy. Massive arms crossed over a broad chest. He looked almost identical too Merle, just older and bigger. Prison seemed to have set well with him. He looked healthy enough... to break the neck of a goddamn bear.

"Don't just stand there, ya little fucker. Where's the love for yer ol' man, huh?" His voice was deep and familiar and Daryl felt a chill run down his spine.

He stepped out onto the porch and then Buck was actually _hugging _him. And he wasn't even trying to break any bones while he was doing it. Daryl was frozen in place, not knowing how to respond. He had to get them the fuck out of here before Carol came down. He'd call her later or something and explain why he took off.

Buck let him go and them stepped back and ruffled his hair. "You filled out since last time I saw ya, boy." He said as he gave Daryl a once over and a nod. "What's it been? Four years? That's a long time to go for a man to not see his boys."

Merle's eyes were shifting from their dad to Daryl. "We ain't had the money for the trip, Ol man. I told ya that already.

Buck narrowed his eyes but Daryl wasn't about to let this happen on Carol's porch. "Let me go get my shit and we can take off." He said quickly.

Buck looked at Daryl and then grinned. "You don't think I'm gonna go anywhere now do, ya? I gotta meet this girl of yours. You done fucked your way into the big time, baby boy." He glanced around. "Makes a daddy proud."

"She ain't my..."

Buck stepped around him and then right through the front door. Daryl hurried in after him. He hoped to God he didn't try to steal anything. Fuck. His dad? He wasn't suppose to get out for another few years. Oh shit, did he bust out?

"Did you get parole or somethin'?" Daryl asked as Buck stood in the middle of the foyer and gazed around.

"Yep. Good behavior." He chuckled and then bent down and picked up something off the floor. Buck held up the black lace underwear he must have tossed to the bottom of the stairs last night. Buck and Merle shared a wide eyed look and then grinned at each other. Daryl snatched them out of Buck's hand and, not knowing what else to do, he shoved them into his pocket.

Next it was Merle's turn. He bent down and picked up Daryl's discarded t-shirt and handed it to him. He hurriedly put it on and then glanced up the stairs again.

"Can't we just get the fuck outta here?" He grumbled knowing that there was no way either of them would miss out on torturing him. He heard the bathroom door open.

"Hey, do you remember how the hell we managed to break so much stuff up here last night?" She called down from the hallway. "This place looks like a tornado hit it. Oh! Found my work shirt. Damn it! You ripped it, Daryl! It's the only one they..."

She was hurrying down the stairs and then stopped in her tracks. She wasn't wearing anything like she had been wearing the night before but Daryl still couldn't help but stare at her. Red tank top, faded jeans with a hole in one knee and no shoes. Her eyes were bright and the color rushing to her cheeks was amazing to watch. He shook his head, knowing there was no time for pussy stuff like that.

"Hi." She said after she studied the three of them for a few long seconds. She continued on, stopping right next to him as she took in the other two Dixon's. "How are you, Merle?" She asked after no one said anything for a few awkward seconds.

Merle just gave her a nod.

Buck was looking at her but Daryl was glad to see that he wasn't blatantly undressing her with his eyes. She stepped a little closer to Daryl but then he saw her chin raise an inch or so. She stuck out her hand, meeting Buck's gaze.

"I'm Carol." She said.

Buck looked at her hand like he was confused for a moment but he was quick to recover he took her small hand in his huge one. "And I'm impressed, little lady." His eyes met Daryl's then and he nodded and then dropped her hand.

It seemed the tension in the room thinned once the two were finally introduced. But the four of them still just stood there awkwardly. Daryl finally had to break the silence.

"We was just about to take off. I'll call ya later or somethin'." He started chewing his thumb nail again as she frowned at him.

"You said you would stay so you're staying." She said firmly. "You boys hungry?" She asked with a smile as her eyes left Daryl's and went to the two men standing in front of them.

God, why did she have to get all bossy and shit right in front of them?

"Starved, sugar." Buck said with a grin.

She smiled back and nodded. "What about you Merle? You slap a girl on the ass, the least you can do is stay on for breakfast. How bout it?"

Merle's eyes shifted to Daryl's, who was now glaring at him but then he shrugged. "I could eat."

She nodded and then was gone, heading towards the kitchen. The three men followed her.

"When did you touch her ass you dirty fuck?" Daryl hissed.

"I didn't even know you knew her." Merle whispered, rolling his eyes. "You seen her ass. I couldn't help it."

Daryl whacked him in the back of his head.

"That hurt you little bastard." Merle growled, still keeping his voice low.

"Fuck you, stupid. Keep your grimy hands off of her." He growled back.

Merle punched him in the arm, hard. "What if I don't?" He glared.

Daryl glared back and then slugged Merle right in the kidney.

Merle groaned, causing Carol and Buck to turn and look at him. He held up a hand. "I'm alright. Gotta cramp."

Carol kept going but Buck was eying them. Finally he turned and followed her once more.

"I'm gonna fuck you up later." Merle huffed.

Carol stopped in her tracks once they got to the kitchen. There was more glass on the floor, his boots, a pair of high heeled shoes and in the middle of it all, was the large empty whiskey bottle.

Daryl could hear Merle chuckling behind him. Buck just raised his eyebrows at him and Carol looked like she was about to burst into flames.

"Y'all musta had yerselves a hell of a night, huh?" Merle grinned and he elbowed Daryl.

Carol bit her bottom lip and met Daryl's eyes but then her gaze shifted to Merle and those eyes narrowed. "Merle, there's a broom in the laundry room," She pointed to a swinging door off the kitchen. "You get the glass up and I'll cook your food."

Merle snorted but then Buck gave him a hard look. He huffed and then glared back at the man before he stomped right through the glass on the floor. Daryl had to give his brother credit. At least he was trying. Once they got home it would be a different story. But he was trying now and that's what counted.

Carol tiptoed around the edge of the area with all the broken glass and made her way around the island. She busied herself, glancing up at Daryl every once in a while with a questioning look in her eye. She was going to have a lot of questions if Merle and his dad ever left. He hoped they would eat and then leave.

"Your brother's got a problem boy." Buck said quietly.

Daryl tore his eyes away from Carol and studied the other man. He looked troubled. That wasn't a look that Daryl associated with the man. Buck didn't have troubles. He _was _trouble. But his eyes were clouded as he watched Merle. Daryl couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. "Yeah, well, he's had a problem for a long fuckin' time. You know all about it."

Buck tore his eyes away from Merle and fixed Daryl with a heated look. "You got somethin' to say to me, boy?" He asked, unable to keep the menace out of his voice.

"Not here." Daryl said as he clenched his teeth. He looked up and Carol was looking at him worriedly.

"I changed, boy. I know you ain't gonna believe it for a while but it's the truth. All I'm askin' is for you to give me a goddamn chance." he hissed.

Daryl couldn't believe he was hearing this. He couldn't just stand here and act like everything was fine. Nothing had been fine for a long ass time and it was this man's fault. He needed air. Buck was too close. He just wanted to get out.

He turned and stormed off towards the front door. He knew the son of a bitch was following him but he didn't turn around, not until he was out of the house. Then he spun around and faced him, almost causing the big man to run into him.

"What the fuck do you want from us? Huh?" He spat and then he braced himself for the blow he knew was coming. Only, it didn't come. Buck crossed his arms over his chest, his face unreadable.

"I'm clean, boy. What'cha want me to do, huh? You want me to tell how fuckin' sorry I am? That gonna make you feel better?"

"You're clean?" Daryl said in a low voice he barely recognized. "That's real good. I'm happy for ya. You know who ain't clean? My goddamn _brother._ You got him hooked to that shit and I'm the one that's shouldered that. You beat my fuckin' brains out. How the fuck you want me to react to you showin' up? I didn't even know you was in prison for four days. Four days I didn't wake up because of _you._ And when I did, Merle was my problem. I had to quit school and keep a fuckin' roof over our heads, because of _you._ You know how many times I've watch him almost die?" Daryl shook his head.

Buck just stood there, arms still crossed. "What the fuck am I suppose to say?"

Daryl shook his head, his mind reeling, his gut churning and his head pounding in rhythm with his heart. "You ain't gotta say nothin'. Ain't nothin you can say gonna change shit. But don't you come lookin' for that fuckin' boy you left for dead. You succeeded. He died. Right on that mother fuckin' floor. All you got left is me. Some fucked in the head man tryin' my hardest to live down your name."

Daryl's breath was coming fast and ragged. He was still waiting for it to happen. Waited for blows to reign over him. But still they didn't come. Buck, for the first time in Daryl's life, looked defeated.

Both of them turned towards the door when they heard it open. "Foods on the table." Carol said quietly, looking from Daryl to Buck. "Better hurry, Buck. Merle's eye balling your plate."

Buck smiled at her, but it was forced. He walked past her but Daryl didn't budge. She had a worried look on her face and he hoped like hell she hadn't heard all of that.

"You okay?" She asked as she came a little closer, pulling the door shut.

He nodded, not trusting his voice. He was still breathing heavily, probably still scowling. He backed into the banister.

"So, your dad..."

"I don't wanna talk about it." he said, his voice thick with the weight of the emotions he was feeling.

She nodded. "Alright. Then we wont talk about it." she was still coming towards him and he had no where to go to get away from her.

He wasn't looking at her. He couldn't force himself too. His hands were shaking badly. Couldn't this damn girl see that he just needed a fucking minute? He felt her hands on his shoulders before he finally looked up and met her eyes. He felt his muscles tense under her touch. "What are you..."

She pressed one finger firmly against his lips, silencing him. "No talking." She said sternly.

Her severe expression almost made him want to laugh. Almost. She took that one last step until there wasn't a breath between them, he narrowed his eyes and she finally moved her finger from his lips and slid her arms around his neck. "What do you..."

"Shhh. You said no talking. Do you ever listen to yourself?"

"No." He grumbled but he finally relented and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She grinned. "There." She squeezed his neck tighter. "This is called a _hug, _Daryl. Sometimes people need one." She grinned.

"I don't." he growled.

"Mmm hmm. I can tell by the way he refuse to put your arms around me. Big bad Dixons don't hug bothersome women." She winked.

He shook his head. "You're an ass."

She dropped her arms from around his neck so he let his fall to his sides. "And I've seen glaciers easier to thaw than you, Daryl. Breaks a girls heart. Something tells me you weren't so grumpy last night though." She winked and then turned around to go back in.

What a witch. He felt his face redden and then remembered something. "Hey, Carol?"

She turned around with that playful look in her eye once more.

"I found somethin' that belongs to you." he reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out the panties he'd snatched from his dad a little while ago.

He smirked and then watched as her eyes went wide and then narrowed quickly. The smile on her face tightened. He figured this would be good. He could see her face growing hot but then she bit her lip and locked her eyes on to his. She shrugged. "Keep'em."

His smirk died. "What?"

She winked. "Keep them, Daryl." She turned then and went back inside, shutting the door.

He looked down at the flimsy thing in his hand, looked around for a second and then shoved them back into his pocket.

Fuck it. He was a Dixon. It wouldn't hurt for him to act like one every once in a while.


	8. Chapter 8

**Good morning! I have heard your message loud and clear! I'm glad we are on the same page ;) I wasn't sure how to write this out and make it believable. I have went over it a few times and I think maybe it is but that's just me. If it's not believable then I'm sorry! I hope you like this chapter anyway! Thank you for reading and reviewing and following! It makes my day, every single day, and it keeps me writing! Much love! =)**

Chapter Eight

Carol was relieved when she saw him enter the room. She was worried about him. She had heard what had transpired between him and his father and it made her ache inside. The hurt that he went through. The burden of his brother always on him. He was so young and yet had probably lived a hundred harsh lives in the little time he had been around. A little like herself but he had lived a much harder life than her. But now she knew why there was that instant connection with him.

She wanted to see him smile again. She was so embarrassed that she could have crawled in a hole and never come out. But her antics had calmed him and that was the important thing. She had made him feel better and it was worth all the humiliation in the world.

She figured that she should feel uncomfortable around all these men she hardly knew. Men that had the reputation of being dangerous. But as she watched Daryl begin eating his food she started to get a look at another side of the Dixon brothers.

Merle's plate was empty and it was obvious that he was still hungry, so he was watching his brother like some hungry bear. Daryl glanced over and then moved his plate further away from his brother. Merle glanced down at his fork and then picked it up.

"Don't even think about it, fucker." Daryl growled.

"I wasn't thinkin' asshole. I was doin'." Merle grinned but before he could make a move to steal Daryl's food she reached across the table and put a hand on his arm. He looked up, surprised.

"If you want more then go get it Merle. You don't have to steal your brothers breakfast." She moved her hand and he was up in a flash, heading towards the kitchen.

Buck looked at Daryl then and he looked concerned. Carol ate and watched, keeping her mouth shut.

"I'm stayin' in one of the apartments over the bar. I don't guess you got any intentions of stayin' up there with me but your brother don't think it's that bad an idea."

Daryl froze before raising his head slowly to glare at Buck. Buck just kept his face neutral. "No fuckin' way. That ain't gonna happen. You'll get him fuckin' killed or even more strung out than he already is. We don't need you. We ain't needed you for years."

"Daryl." She hadn't meant to say his name. She just didn't want him to fight with his dad. The man really did look like he was trying. And what was he talking about? Why would Merle or Daryl either one want to stay with him when they had a place of their own?

He glanced up at her and then back to Buck.

"She doesn't even know, does she?" Buck asked as he leaned into his chair and tossed his crumpled napkin onto his empty plate.

"Ain't none of her business." Daryl growled.

She couldn't help but flinch at his words. But, of course, he was right. She didn't have a claim on him. He wasn't hers. She barely knew him. But that wasn't true at all. She knew him. Probably better than she knew anyone else. She had a little more to learn but she knew enough to know that she knew exactly who Daryl Dixon was. Without a doubt in her mind.

"Where are you gonna go, son? If you don't stay with me?" Buck asked.

"Why don't you do what you do best and back the fuck off and let me handle shit? I don't need your fuckin' hand outs." He snapped.

Buck leaned across the table, his blue eyes, the same shade as Daryl's but much colder, flashed dangerously. "I'm tryin' here. You understand me? But I'm real fuckin' close to kickin' your ass, boy. I already told you once. I ain't who I was but I ain't gonna take your bullshit either. Watch. Your fuckin'. Mouth." He bit out.

Carol was nervous. Of course she was. These men were on the verge of tearing her house down around her. She glanced up at the doorway and there was Merle, standing there eating, leaning against the door frame. He glanced at her and shook his head.

She looked at Daryl then, he was looking at his plate, but it didn't seem as though he was going to push the man any further.

"Can I talk to you?" She asked quietly.

He glanced at her and rolled her eyes. "Why not?" He growled and then stood up, storming off towards the kitchen.

"Wait." Buck said as he got out of his chair. "I'm gonna take off. You know where to find me if you need me, Daryl."

Daryl didn't say anything and he didn't look up at the man either. She walked with Buck and Merle through the house and paused by the door. "It was really nice meeting you, Buck." She said suddenly. And she meant it.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when the phone rang. She didn't feel inclined to answer it so she let it go straight to the machine that her grandma had refused to replace with voicemail. Her grandmothers voice spoke eerily into the silent house, prompting for whoever was calling to leave a message.

"Should have gotten rid of that old thing." She laughed but it died on her lips and her eyes went wide.

A familiar angry voice was filling the living room where the answering machine was.

"You think this is gonna work? You're comin' home you stupid bitch! Oh, and when you do, the things I have planned for you. Do you hear me? And that boy you're screwing..."

She had been standing there in shock and humiliation but her head shot up when Ed's voice was cut off. Daryl showed up in the doorway then, his face an angry mask, Merle also was glaring towards the machine. Buck on the other hand was smiling broadly... with the phone to his ear.

"Hey there, Peletier. Is that you? I know that voice anywhere." He said pleasantly but that smile on his face and that look in his eye was damn near the most frightening thing she had ever seen. She backed into Merle on accident but all he did was put a reassuring hand on her back. It was actually comforting.

"Oh, come on now, you know who this is. Don't play dumb you greasy mother fucker." Buck said as the smile slipped off his face. He paused while Ed said something. His face darkening further. "You guessed it. And me and you, we need to chat. You fuck with this girl, you so much as look at this girl, if I wake up in the middle of the night and think you might be _thinkin'_ about this girl," He chuckled humorlessly into the phone, "It'll be the last goddamn thing you do. Prison don't scare me, boy. Go on out to Crown Hill and ask your daddy's headstone how scared I am of prison."

He took the phone away from his ear and smirked and then looked up at the three sets of eyes staring at him. "Little cock sucker hung up on me. Y'all believe that shit?"

He rolled his shoulders, the muscles flexing, and then cracked his neck. He walked right up to her and reached out with one finger. He placed it under her chin and then gently lifted up until her mouth closed. She hadn't known it was hanging open. "I'll be seein' you tonight. Ain't no body in that placce gonna bother you no more, you hear? I done heard about last night."

She nodded and then he patted the side of her face affectionately before he left the room, Merle following with an excited gleam in his eye. He winked at her on his way by. She didn't look towards Daryl until she heard the front door shut.

He was staring at her worriedly. "You alright?" He asked. "I had no idea he was out. If I ever thought that he'd show up here I wouldn't have stayed. He's a fuckin'..."

"Daryl." She interrupted. "It's fine." Wasn't it? She couldn't help but feel afraid. She knew exactly who buck Dixon was now. She had heard the name long ago but never put two and two together. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me that he was your dad. You knew I would have known about him."

Daryl looked away as he leaned his back against the wall. "You ever see that old movie, Candyman?" He asked.

She frowned. "Yeah, as a kid at a sleepover once."

"Buck is like that too. You say the mother fuckers name and here he comes. Nobody talks about him cause everybody with any sense is scared to death of him. He's the boogey man."

"He really seems like he's trying to change." She said softly.

His eyes met hers. "Say Ed came knockin' on the door right now. Tells you he turned over a new leaf and wants ya back. You gonna be stupid enough to believe him? And Ed is just some dumb as shit woman beater. He ain't no Buck, darlin'. The man is a stone cold killer."

Carol shook her head. "That's different. He's your father. You can't just..."

"Let this one go, Carol." He said in a low voice, finally looking up at her from under a troubled brow.

She lifted her chin and she felt her eyes go narrow. "Fine. What's going on with you? Why is he offering to let you stay with him?"

"Let that go too." He grumbled.

"Because it isn't any of my business?" She said angrily.

"It ain't!" He snapped as he shoved himself away from the wall.

"You're my friend. If I can help..."

"It'd help if you would just stop tryin' to butt into my business. I've done just fine on my own so far. I don't need no fuckin' help. Goddamn, I met you yesterday. I've gotten along just fine without you or anybody else."

She knew that she shouldn't let anything he said get to her. He was hurting and this was obviously his way of dealing with that hurt. But he was in worse shape that she was and she hadn't even known it. At least she still had a home. She wasn't slow. Buck wouldn't have offered him a place to stay if he knew that Daryl and Merle were alright. "Are you finished yet?" She asked, crossing her arms.

He shook his head. Still glaring. "I'm beyond finished." He tried to walk past her towards the foyer but she stepped in his way. He tried to go around her but she wasn't letting him. "Move." He growled.

"No." She growled back. He was actually starting to piss her off. "You can stop acting like a child and talk to me like an adult."

This caused him to scowl. "You can move or I can move you. Your choice."

He was only a few inches away from her now so she reached up and placed her hands on his chest. "Please." She whispered.

He huffed but she saw some of that anger drain from his face. "You get on my nerves." he grumbled but he did step back and walk towards the couch where he plopped down.

"How do I get on your nerves?" She asked as she sat down on the other end, tucking her feet under her.

"Cause you're nosy, you nag all the time and you don't know when to just leave a man be." He grumbled without looking at her.

"You get on _my_ nerves. You're moody, you're always scowling over something and you're a confusing asshole."

He gaped at her. "Asshole, huh?"

She nodded.

"Well if I'm such an asshole then why don't you just let me leave? You're the one that wont stay out of my way."

"Because I want to know what's happening. You lost your apartment, didn't you?"

He gave her a dangerous look but finally just looked away. Towards the doorway to the dining room. "I wouldn't have but I left the rent money with Merle. He spent it."

She scooted closer to him, but not too close. She really needed to keep him at a distance. "That stinks." She muttered sadly as she watched his face.

His lips twitched and then he looked at her. "Yeah, I suppose it does. But it's not like we ain't been in this situation before."

The clouds were growing thicker outside and then there was a crash of thunder that sent her nearly leaping into his lap. She pulled away from him quickly. "I haven't." She said sadly as she pulled her knees up onto the couch and rested her cheek there. "I never thought I would lose everything my grandpa built. But I think I might and it sucks."

"You'll think of somethin'." he said as the room filled with shadows as the clouds outside got thicker.

"Yeah. I might." She muttered and then as she stared at him as he scowled straight ahead an idea began to take shape. She dismissed it at first. He wouldn't go for it anyway so she would be wasting her breath.

She sighed. "Where are you going to stay? I know Merle will probably stay with your dad but Merle and Buck are like two peas in a pod. You're different."

"I ain't _that _different." He grumbled.

"You are very different. You're sweet." She grinned and then rested her back against the arm of the couch so her feet were facing him.

"You're bipolor." He smirked. "You just called me an asshole. Now you say I'm sweet."

"What are you gonna do?" She pressed.

He sighed and then shot her a glare that didn't faze her a bit. He wasn't scary at all. "I'll do somethin', don't worry about it."

"But I will worry about it." She said, her voice still sad as she slid down so she could kick him lightly in the thigh.

"That's your problem." He looked down at her feet.

She glared at him. "I'm finding out real fast that you are a jerk."

He shrugged. "I found out real fast that you're a floosy."

Her mouth dropped for the second time. She brought her knees back and kicked him as hard as she could.

"Ow!" He laughed.

"I can't believe you just said that." She hissed.

"I was kiddin'. Why are ya so defensive?"

She kicked him again, both feet, same spot.

"Goddamn it, I was kiddin'!" he grabbed her by the ankles and yanked so her feet were on his lap. "I quit. You ain't a floosy."

She was almost angry, almost. She knew he was only kidding but when she had woken up this morning with him in her bed she had felt like a complete slut. She didn't like women like that. She had absolutely no respect for them and then there she was, in bed with a man she barely even knew, naked. Or mostly naked anyway. Naked enough to make her wonder what really happened. Some things had penetrated her memory throughout the day and she was almost certain that they hadn't let things get too far. She tried not to think about that though. Pushing them away to the back of her mind. "How's your head?" She asked quietly.

He leaned into the couch cushion and shut his eyes. "Hurts like a son of a bitch."

"Good." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

His eyebrows shot up as he turned his head to look at her. "Are you _mad_?" He asked, like she had no reason to be.

"No." She huffed and then looked away.

He sighed. "Women are crazy."

"Are you going to live in your truck?" She asked after glaring at him for a long time. Not that he even noticed. He was looking inward now.

"Nah." he shook his head and then looked at her once more. She kept the glare on her face. "You still mad?"

"Oh, no. See, us floosy's get over things pretty quick. Don't worry about me." She got up from the couch and started storming towards the downstairs bathroom. She rummaged through the medicine cabinet, looking for something for his head when she heard the door again. By the sounds of it it was probably Merle again. "Daryl!" She called.

"I can hear, shut up." She heard him grumble.

She couldn't help but smile. He was such an ass but he was a very cute ass. She rolled her eyes, grabbed some Tylenol and went to see what Merle could want now. When she rounded the corner and stepped into the foyer she frowned. Daryl was there talking to someone in the doorway. She got within hearing range and her frown turned into a scowl.

"We just want to know what you're doin' here. We don't need any trouble from you, Dixon."

Daryl sighed and then shrugged. "Burglery, rape, murder. You know, all the shit you'd expect. That's why I came to the door. So we could talk about it."

"Daryl!" She snapped and then peeked out from under his arm.

"Can I help you guys?" She asked with a smile.

Daryl looked down and smirked. "Oh, they came to save ya from me." he looked back up. "See boys, all is right with the world."

Rick and Shane both ignored him as they gave Carol the once over to make sure she was alright. Shane smiled.

"How are you Carol?" He asked as his eyes flicked to Daryl.

"Just fine, Shane. Why are you two here? I didn't call."

Rick sighed and then looked at her, his expression apologetic. "We got a call from one of your neighbors. They thought maybe you were... uh... in some sort of trouble."

She felt her face harden as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Is that right?" She snapped, looking from Rick to Shane.

"We figured we should stop in and check it out. With the trouble you've been havin' lately, can't take any chances with your safety."

"Of course not." She said dryly. Arms still crossed over her chest. She could feel Daryl's eyes on her but she didn't glance at him. This was one of the things he had mentioned yesterday. People talking about her because of him being here. And it probably didn't go unnoticed that he had spent the night with her. The truth was, she didn't give a crap what those people thought. They didn't know the Dixons and they didn't care to know the Dixons and the men standing in front of her were no different. "The next time one of my neighbors calls to report that I might be in danger, just let them know that as long as I have a Dixon around, I'm just fine. Now, if you two will excuse me." She stepped back and slammed the door harder than she had probably ever slammed anything in her life.

How dare those people. She glared holes at the door for a long moment before turning her angry gaze on him. It felt good. It felt damn good. No wonder he was pissed all the time. Being pissed was awesome. When she did look at him it was with that same glare that she had for the other two men. He was trying to hide a smile until she poked him hard in the chest.

"And you, you stop acting like a hard headed man child. You aren't living in your truck." She poked him again, even harder, "You aren't living with your dad. Tell me what you're going to do." She had backed him into the wall, poking him relentlessly.

"I'll..." he didn't know what to say because he didn't know and she knew it.

"Move in with me." She said suddenly.

"What?" It was the same tone he had used last nigh when she had asked him to stay. She had to tread carefully or she figured her would run away.

"Move in with me. I didn't stutter." She said simply, not giving him any room to flee even though she could see it in his eyes that he wanted too.

"Carol that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." He argued, scowling down at her. "You don't just try to move people in when you don't even know'em. You're smarter than that."

"Here's what I know, Daryl." she held up one finger. "One, you're as good as homeless." He flinched but she kept going, holding up one more finger, "Two, I'm just a few months away from losing everything. _Everything._" Third finger, "Three, I'm scared. Scared out of mind every single night that he's going to come in here and make good on every single threat that he ever made. With you here, I have nothing to worry about. You wouldn't let him touch me and I know it." She held up finger number four and finally stepped away from him so he could breath, "And four, I like you. So what if we got drunk and naked as soon as we met, no one else knows that. I can live with it if you can. We can help each other. I need you as much as you need me right now. It's the only way that either one of us is going to get by at the moment." She took a deep breath. "So, will you move in with me?"

She knew he was going to argue even though it was really the only thing that either one of them could do. She was right and he had to see that she was right. She wasn't afraid of him and she wasn't afraid of his family. She didn't care if the neighbors didn't like it and she didn't care what people would say about her living in a house with two dangerously attractive men while technically still married. She didn't care. And she also decided that the next asshole who had one dark comment about either Dixon, was going to have to answer to her.

"What about my brother?" He finally asked.

She felt relief wash over her. He didn't say no. "Three rooms upstairs. Three."

"Me and you don't get to share?"

She blinked. He looked dead serious and he sounded like it was a legit question. "I... er..."

"I'm fuckin' with you Carol." He grinned. "You were really thinkin' about it, weren't ya?" He laughed as her face turned crimson.

"I was not." She hissed.

"You sure about this?" He asked. All joking was gone from his voice.

"Yes. Are you sure about this?" She asked, hoping to God he was.

He eyed her for a long time and then finally shrugged. "I ain't got much choice."

"Don't sound so enthusiastic." She muttered as she shoved the pill bottle into his hands.

He followed her too the coat closet. She could feel his eyes on her as she slipped her feet into a pair of sandals.

"What are we doin'?" He asked as he popped two of the pills into his mouth.

"We're going to your place to pack your crap and then we're going to get your brother before Daddy Dixon gets him in trouble.

He looked away and she instantly sensed that something was wrong.

"Spill, Daryl." She said as she pulled him towards the door.

"There might be somethin' you need to know about Merle." He muttered. He sounded like he really wasn't wanting to tell her this mysterious _something _that she needed to know. She instantly remembered the conversation him and his father had that she had over heard and figured that she knew exactly what he was about to tell her. He seemed to be squirming so she decided to help him out.

"Your brother is an addict. I already know that. We'll fix that too."

He shook his head. "Merle ain't fixable. And when he tries it about kills him."

"Oh, he's fixable." And she really believed that. She'd help him. All it took was for someone to want to get better and they could. She'd research it if she had too and maybe they could find some sort of treatment that wasn't too expensive. Daryl wasn't going to lose his brother and she could tell by the strain in his voice while he was talking to his dad that he really did think that it would happen that way.

He still looked a little apprehensive. He was chewing his thumb nail and she found herself pulling his hand away from his mouth. "What?" She asked. The corners of her mouth turning up.

"This kinda shit don't happen for Merle and me. It's too easy. I just have a feelin' that all this is gonna somehow blow up in my fuckin' face."

She kept the hand that she had pulled away from his mouth and interlaced her fingers with his. He looked down at their hands and then back up at her. She grinned. "Let's go get your shit, Dixon. We'll worry about the hard stuff when it finds us.

**So, this was what I was talking about. Would he cave that easily? I just don't know. Daryl in the show would most definitely NOT, but this isn't that Daryl. But at least our boys have gotten themselves a home now! And our lady has herself some protection! Again, thanks for reading! I can't say it enough XD**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello lovely people! I'm really glad that everyone thought the last chapter was okay. I get nervous when I feel like something isn't quite right. I'm blown away, once again, by all of the nice things you have to say about this story. I love writing it! So, thank you for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoy this one. =) It's bed time for this girl! The rest of you have a great day!**

Chapter Nine

Daryl groaned. They hadn't been at his dads place for five minutes and already Merle was going out of his way to make them uncomfortable.

Merle chuckled and then put his feet up on the coffee table. "So, let me get this straight, baby brother. You hit her car, when?" He was grinning.

"Yesterday." Carol answered for him. She was perched on the arm of the chair Daryl was slumped in.

Merle nodded. "Okay, so, you hit her car and then you guys have a conversation. The conversation alone has gotten me floored. Daryl here don't get too chatty with women. It's a rule of his." He shook his head, "Anyway, then what?"

Daryl wished he could just kick the dumb ass in the teeth. Just this once. "Then I went to the bar to see if you was ready and saw that someone had slit her tires."

Merle dropped his feet from the table and leaned forward, picking at his cuticle and nodding like he was turning all this over in his head. He'd already heard the story. He was just being a dick. "Okay. So you stop and talk to her _again_. And you offer her a ride. How come?"

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Because she didn't need to be walkin' with Ed on the prowl."

Merle grinned. "Then what?"

"Then I invited him in." Carol volunteered. "And it was... nice."

Daryl groaned again. She should really just shut up.

"Nice." Merle said sarcastically, winking at Buck who just shook his head and looked back towards the t.v.

"Goddamn it Merle. Who the hell cares? Are you gonna do this or not? You've seen the place. Ain't nothin' better gonna come along for either one of us. We need the place and she needs the help. Its a win win."

"Just be patient, baby brother." Merle said calmly. "So, he took you home and y'all had a nice time. Then he takes you to work, right?"

"Son of a bitch." Daryl grumbled under his breath.

"Right." She nodded, playing along with Merle, like the asshole needed encouragement.

"How did he end up spending the night?" Merle asked. This was the part of the story that he hadn't heard yet. He gave up asking Daryl questions and now he was going to grill Carol.

"When he called me last..." She began but Merle held up a hand.

"Wait. Called you?" he asked, looking clearly confused now.

She nodded. "Yeah, he called me on my break."

Merle looked at Daryl then, smirking like the asshole that he was. "You walked to that payphone in the goddamn rain?"

Carol looked down at him frowning. "You called me from a payphone? In the rain?"

Daryl could feel the blood rushing to his face as all three of them looked at him. She was beaming, which almost made this humiliation worth it, but not quite.

"I don't have a phone. You wanted me to call. What the fuck are y'all looking at me like that for?" He squirmed.

"Daryl, that's the sweetest thing." She said, her smile lighting up the entire shitty ass apartment.

He slouched even further into the chair, ready to sink into the cushion so they all would stop staring at him.

Merle cleared his throat. "Okay, go on then." He said to Carol.

"Well, I didn't have a ride home so he said he would pick me up at two."

Merle looked at him again. "Boy, you told me that you had to get some sleep cause you had to leave the house at four in the mornin'. So you crawl outta bed to walk to the payphone in the rain and then tell the girl you're gonna pick her up two hours before you gotta leave for work? Oh, fuck, Pa. Baby Dixon's got it bad for this little girl." Merle laughed.

"Fuck off, Merle." Daryl growled. "You ain't gotta clue what you're talkin' about."

"Anyway," Carol said, clearing her throat, "After he took me home I asked him to stay. So he stayed." She shrugged like that was no big deal.

Merle looked from one face to the other. "And then y'all got drunk and started tossin' your clothes off." he grinned and this time even Carol was turning red.

"Well, I guess that's how it happened." She said with a tight smile.

"So, have y'all set a date yet? At the rate the two of you move I'd say they should be a weddin' here in a day or so." He grinned.

"Fuck you, Merle." Daryl grumbled, sinking even further. He just wanted to get this shit over with. At least Buck hadn't jumped in to mess with him. He knew how stupid this was but what fucking choice did he have? None. He didn't want to live in his goddamn truck and he sure as shit didn't want to live in this damn apartment with Buck. He could give him a hundred bullshit apologies. It wouldn't matter. Buck had ruined any chance for him or Merle to have a normal life. He didn't care what Carol said and he didn't care if Merle wanted to go right back to the way things were right before his dad got locked up the last time. He wasn't letting that shit go. He wasn't going to pretend that Buck Dixon had changed at all. It didn't matter anymore. He should have changed before now. Before both his boys were grown men.

"You think it's a good idea to live up here above a bar when you're spose to be a recoverin' alcoholic? Don't seem all too smart if ya ask me." Daryl didn't know why he felt the need to taunt the man. If Buck really wanted too he could break him in half.

Buck just looked at him for a few seconds and then shrugged. "Couldn't find nothin' else on such short notice." He returned his eyes to the T.V.

Carol stood up then. "So, where do we drop your stuff off at Merle? Here or my place?"

Daryl sighed in relief. It was about damn time.

Merle looked at her for a long time. "Are you gonna do all the cookin'?" He asked.

She nodded.

He glanced up at Daryl, smirked and then looked back at her. "Do you ever walk around naked?"

"Merle!" Daryl yelled.

Carol's lips twitched. "No."

"Can ya?"

Daryl grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the door. "That's it. Let the fucker sleep in the damn ally." He growled.

"Hold on a minute, little brother. Don't be like that. I wouldn't touch anything that belonged to you." He was grinning again.

"She don't belong to me, you dick. God, sometimes your like a fuckin' ten year old."

"That ain't what the ladies say, little brother. That's the important thing. Go ahead and take my shit. You two are too damn interestin' to miss."

Daryl, although annoyed as hell at his brother, was relieved. The last thing Merle needed was to spend more time with Buck. Maybe Carol really could help him get his brother off the heroin. That would be a huge weight off his shoulders. This was far from Bucks first stint in the pen. This wasn't the first time the man had found himself clean. It _was_ the first time he had ever admitted to being a piece of shit dad, in a round about way. And it was the first time Daryl had had the balls to say anything to the man. But he was pissed. He had been pissed for years. And now he knew he was going to have to explain to Carol what had happened with Ed Peletier's own daddy. Even though that really wasn't much Buck's fault. _That_ corpse wasn't Buck's fault, not really, but there were others that were. Maybe he would tell her about those too.

They were on the sidewalk when he realized that he had never let go of her hand. So there they were, walking hand in hand towards his truck when around the corner comes Ed himself. Carol stopped in her tracks and it was then that he decided maybe now he _should_ let go of her hand. But her grip on his tightened and he felt her body press against the side of his. Behind Ed were four more men. The same ones the man spent most of his time with.

Daryl knew that he could hold his own in a fight. Buck had hardened him up in that aspect. There wasn't much any of these assholes could do alone that could drop a Dixon. But this was five on one. He started sizing them up, figuring out who to try to take out first. Ed was the biggest out of all of them but he also knew Ed was nothing but a pussy so he wasn't a threat at all, unless you were a woman. Daryl eased her behind him but she stopped and took a step forward.

"You and your friends need to back up, Ed. I'll call the cops. You're breaking that restraining order, you know. Do you really want to end up in jail again?"

Daryl was proud of her. Her voice never wavered.

"So this is what you want?" Ed sneered. "You wanna trade me in for some white trash kid?"

Carol narrowed her eyes. "I didn't make a trade in Ed. It's called an upgrade." She snapped and a few of his friends even snickered.

Ed's face reddened. He looked like he could have charged her then and if he did Daryl would kill him. He would stomp his head in before anyone could get him away from the man.

Ed took a step towards her, seeming, in his rage, to forget Daryl was even there. Daryl reacted on instinct then. Something told him that he had to put himself between her and anything that could hurt her, and so he did. Ed stopped but Daryl didn't. He shoved the other man away and then kept coming. Ed nearly fell on his ass but his friends helped him. It didn't matter to Daryl at this point that he was gonna end up having his ass handed to him out here, what mattered was that Ed suffer a little before that happened.

"I'd suggest the rest of you boys run along now." A deep voice said from behind him. Daryl couldn't help but grin as the color drained from Ed's face.

Daryl didn't have to turn around to see who was there. And now it was just him and Ed. The other men had taken one look at his dad and tucked tail and ran. Now it was fair. And now he was going to have himself some fun with Ed.

"Daryl, please." Carol's soft voice reached his ears right before he lunged at Ed. He looked terrified now that his friends were gone, but his friends were pretty smart. No one would take on Buck. Not one person Daryl could think of.

"What?" He glanced down at her and then right back towards the other man.

He felt her hand on his and he backed away from Ed to look at her once more. She was wide eyed and the hand she had placed on his was shaking. "If you do this he's just going to use it against me in court. It'll only make it harder on me. Please stop."

"Let it go boy." Buck said, suddenly beside him.

Daryl let out a ragged breath and glared Ed down but Ed wasn't paying any attention to him. He was looking at Buck. And he looked much more afraid than his friends had.

"Did you forget our conversation Ed?" Buck asked in a low voice. "This girl ain't yours. Now you know what I gotta do. You best hope you got good locks on your doors."

Buck looked at Daryl, their eyes locking. It was strange for Daryl to look at them, they were the mirror image of his own, only colder. Buck nodded, a dismissal that Daryl knew well. He stepped around Ed wordlessly, pulling Carol along with him. When they finally got past the man he dropped her hand and gave her a look from the corner of his eye. She still looked a little scared and that made him want to go beat the hell out of the piece of shit even more. She should be able to walk down the damn street without being afraid. He was going to make sure that when she went anywhere while he was at work that Merle was with her. People around here were damn near as scared of Merle as they were Buck. Only they weren't to concerned with Merle killing them. Buck on the other hand had no such reservations.

He wanted that look gone from her face. "So, I'm an upgrade, huh?"

She looked up at him and then bumped his shoulder with his own. "You aren't an upgrade from that, Daryl. You're a totally different species."

He glanced at her again and smirked. "That's a compliment, right?"

She shook her head as she pulled the truck door open. "Yes, it is." She smiled.

He went around the side of the truck and was stopped by a blonde girl. She looked pretty familiar. "Daryl? Daryl Dixon?" She asked.

He frowned at her and grunted in response.

"I'm Amy. We went to school together." She smiled.

He scowled until her smile grew dimmer and then finally disappeared.

"I...uh... I'm sorry if this is a bad time or something but a friend of mine told me that you did a really good job with his car and I was wondering if there was any way you could take a look at mine? I'll pay you."

He didn't want too. He remembered this girl now. She was a stuck up bitch that thought she was better than everybody else. But he needed the money and depending on the job he could make a decent amount. "What's wrong with it?" He grumbled as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

She looked relieved. Transmission I think. I think that's what the guy said. But he was going to charge me fifteen hundred dollars! And I have to buy the transmission on top of that."

Daryl frowned. "You sure that's what it is?"

She shrugged. "You're the expert. Do you think you could take a look at it?"

"Take a look at what?"

He looked down and Carol had gotten out of the truck and was staring at the girl. She looked almost hostile. He frowned and looked at he blonde, she was eying Carol the same way. He cleared his throat. "Her car." He muttered.

Amy was the first one to recover. "Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Amy." The girl stuck her hand out politely.

"Oh, we've met. You used to date my ex husband's nephew. You've been over a few times." She crossed her arms over her chest and Daryl could feel the tension rising in the air as the two women sized each other up.

"Oh, that's right." Amy dropped her hand and smiled. "I remember you now. You look different."

Carol narrowed her eyes and then finally looked up at him. "No, I don't." She growled and then her angry eyes met his, "You ready? We need to get your stuff before it starts raining again." She gave him a tight smile.

He nodded.

"Anyway," Amy said, smiling at him again and stepping a little closer. Too close. He took a step back. "Here's my number. Just give me a call whenever you think you can come and look at it. I have a garage you can work in."

"He has his own garage. Bring it over." Carol glared.

Amy dropped her smile. "What?" She seemed confused.

Daryl's eyes flicked from Carol to Amy and then he started chewing his thumb nail. He'd never seen two girls fight before but from the way Carol was looking at the girl there very well could be one right here on the street.

"He has his own garage, and he has access to a lot more tools than you probably have. If he's going to fix your car then you can bring it to our house. As long as it's running, of course. If not then I'm sure you can have it towed."

"Your house?" Amy frowned. "I can do that. I'll drop it off whenever you want." She was looking at Daryl once more, her smile starting to creep back to her lips.

He was so beyond ready to get the hell out of here. Carol was completely fucking pissed and he didn't even know why. This uppity bitch was probably the cause but he needed to get her the hell out right now because she looked pissed enough to start throwing punches.

"Let's go." He grumbled and watched her storm past him.

"Gladly." She growled without looking back at the other girl.

"Here." The girl was thrusting a piece of folded paper at him. He took it and shoved it into his back pocket without looking at it. "It was really nice seeing you again, Daryl. I hope you call me soon." With one last smile she strutted away.

He got into the truck and glanced over at Carol who had her arms crossed and was looking straight ahead.

"What?" He asked, scowling again. Now he was going to have to put up with her bad mood all damn day.

"Nothing." She snapped.

"Yeah, it's somethin' or ya wouldn't look like you was about to rip somebodies face off."

"I can not stand that girl." She said between clenched teeth.

"Jealous?" He smirked, knowing she wasn't but not being able to resist the barb.

She turned her angry gaze on him. "Of her?" She raised her eyebrows. "No. I just don't like her. She's an evil bitch."

He kept his eyes on her as he started the truck. "How's that?"

"She dated Ed's nephew, like I said. She would make up stuff to tell Ed just so I would end up getting..." She shook her head and glared out the window.

Now Daryl was pissed off himself. He didn't pull away from the parking space. He thought of how the girl had acted in school and he really could see her being that way. Finally Carol turned her head and looked at him. Her anger had quickly turned to, what looked like, sadness and his anger was quickly turning into rage. He fished the number out of his back pocket and then rolled down his window. He wadded it up and tossed it out. With that he finally backed out onto the street. He risked a glance at her and she was trying to fight back a smile. His anger quickly faded.

As they climbed the stairs to the apartment he could feel his face growing hot. This was the last thing he wanted. She didn't need to see this shit hole but he was learning quick that she wasn't ever going to listen to a word he said. She refused to wait in the truck and considering the neighborhood he hadn't really wanted to leave her there in the first place.

He sighed and then opened the door. Everything was as it was when he left it last night. Luckily for him they really didn't have anything. The apartment had came furnished so they had very few actual possessions other than their clothes which they kept conveniently stashed in two separate trash bags. There was a framed picture of his mom on the small T.V. He grabbed it and tried to shove it into the bag but Carol's quick hand shot out and snatched it from him before he could.

"Your mama?" She asked without hesitation.

He nodded and then scanned the room. He dreaded going into the bedroom. That was pretty much Merle's space and it was hard telling what the fuck kind of nastiness was growing in there. He cringed just thinking about it.

"You look so much like her." She said, drawing his eyes back to the photo in her hands.

He shrugged. "That's what I hear."

"She's beautiful." She said and then her face reddened as she handed the picture back.

He stared at her for a few long seconds and then took a deep breath. "You ready for the hard part?"

She gave him a questioning look. "Hard part?"

"Merle's room." He made a face that had her laughing.

"It can't be that bad." She said as she pushed past him and opened the broken door. "Oh wow. What's that smell?" She asked, backing out of the room.

Daryl chuckled and pushed her back in before going around her to look for the stuff that he knew Merle would want to bring.

"Shouldn't he be doing this? You can't treat him like a child for the rest of his life and expect him to grow up, Daryl." She said as she put her hands on her hips.

"If we let him do it we'd be in here all damn day tryin' to talk him outta takin' everything. You don't want this shit in your house. I don't treat him like a kid." He grumbled.

"Yes you do. Why is there a tree branch in here?" She pointed to the far corner of the room.

"Merle brought home this big ass iguana one night. I guess one of his buddies owed him money and he took it as payment. He didn't have a cage so he just went out and dragged in that goddamn tree limb and let the big fucker run loose in here."

"That's not very... sanitary." She wrinkled her nose.

"Merle ain't very sanitary, darlin'. You'll learn."

"No I will not. We are gonna have to sit down and map out some rules for your brother, Daryl. I'm not living in a house that is covered in lizard poop." She was still making that face and he found himself laughing. She made another face at him before she walked to the chest of drawers. The top of it was covered in beer cans, candy bar wrappers and...used needles.

"Ain't nothin' up there worth... oh." he muttered as he saw what she was looking at. "Guess I need to throw that shit away." He reached out and carefully started dropping the needles into the bag, making sure the caps were on every one so they wouldn't poke through the plastic. He was really wishing that she had stayed at her place. She didn't need to see this. He didn't want her to see it. He was sure that something was going to be too much and she was going to change her mind. He knew at first he hadn't even thought to consider living in that house but now it felt like a real way for things to start getting better.

His eyes flicked up to her face. She was watching him with a frown. When he threw the last one in he pulled open the drawer. There, on top, in a ziplock baggie was Merle's stash of unused needles. Daryl was the one that picked them up for him. There was a clinic a few towns over that handed them out to people that had addictions involving needles. They were doing it to try to cut down on diseases like Hepatitis and AIDS. Merle was going to use drugs one way or another. All Daryl could do was make it as safe for him as he could. He didn't want his brother to end up with some fucked up disease like that.

"He needs these." He said defensively, expecting her to react badly.

She just smiled sadly and put her hand over his. "He wont for long, okay?"

This girl couldn't be for real. There was no way she was going to be okay with all the fucked up baggage that came along with the Dixon's. She must not understand that yet. Merle really was like a fucking kid half the time. He wasn't responsible for anything. He was probably going to make their lives a lot harder than they had to be. "If you realize that ya can't deal with all this then all you gotta do is tell me, alright?" He said quietly.

She nodded. "That isn't going to happen, Dixon."

He nodded and shoved the unused needles into the bag of things they were going to keep. He looked up when he heard her laugh. "What?" he frowned.

"You look like you're waiting for me to tell you I changed my mind. You look absolutely miserable!"

He scowled. "Well, I'm happy that you can get a laugh out of that." He grumbled. He needed to work on his poker face. He wasn't used to having anyone around to pay attention. She was reading every fucking thing his was thinking.

When he looked back up she was right there, her face inches from his. She leaned in and kissed him on the jaw. When she pulled back she was smiling. "I'm not going anywhere." She whispered.

He swallowed hard. The spot where her lips had been was burning. All he could do was nod.


	10. Chapter 10

**I didn't really specify in the story, but Miss Amy is the very same one from the quarry, for those of you that didn't guess, but she ins't Andrea's sister in this story. I should have made that clear but I couldn't just come out and have Daryl think, Yep, there is Amy, who is not Andrea's sister. XD So I thought I would let you guys know that now. Amy is actually a friend of dear Ol' Ed! Fun stuff! Thank you for reading! Well, I'm off to dreamland folks! Hope everyone has a great day! It's Friday so be happy! =)**

Chapter Ten

Carol felt like she needed a very long very hot shower. They had found the lizard. She had never thought to ask what had happened to it. Apparently it had crawled under the bed and died. It was very dead when she, _she_, had pulled it out. She thought that it was some sort of belt or something so she grabbed it and pulled out the sunken scaly body by the tail. She had screamed like someone was trying to murder her, nearly giving Daryl a heart attack.

She learned then that their water had been shut off and she couldn't even wash her hands. He had found this hilarious but he was sweet enough to strip off his shirt and let her scrub her hands with it. This took her mind right off of the dead lizard germs on her hands. Daryl Dixon had one of those bodies that you just wanted to run your hands all over... or your mouth... She shook her head but then stopped when something caught her eye when he turned. A white line marring the darker skin on his side.

Before she was aware of what she was doing she was running her finger over the long mark. He froze, shirt in his hand. She stepped around him, finger tracing the line all the way to the center of his back where it was intersected by another one that looked a little older. They weren't like hers. His were faded, flush with the skin. Most of them anyway. She found herself nearly entranced by them, unable to keep her finger or her eyes off of them. She hadn't even realized how tense he had become. He moved his head and peered at her over his shoulder, his eyes blazing.

She grudgingly took her hand away and stepped back. "Buck?" She offered with a half smile.

His eyes cleared and he nodded. For just a second he looked like that dangerous man that everyone had warned her about. But she still wasn't afraid of him. It would take more than a look to cause her to feel fear towards him.

He kept his eyes on her as he slipped another shirt over his head while she briskly wiped at her hands with the one he had been wearing. She wasn't paying any attention so when she looked up and he was right there in front of her she was a little startled. She jumped when he placed the very tip of his finger against her stomach and ran it all the way down to her waistline.

"Ed?" He asked quietly.

If he had remembered seeing them then why hadn't he asked about them sooner? She felt her face flush. Maybe that was why he had offered her a glimpse of his own. She finally nodded and then, with both hands, lifted up one of the bags. It was heavier than she thought. She wasn't going to let this bother her. So what if he knew what Ed had done? He had his own demons. He wasn't much different from her.

He rolled his eyes and took it from her, lifting it easily. "You can't pack this down the stairs." He grumbled, that short intense moment evaporated, to her relief.

"And why not?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Cause you're arms are too damn skinny."

She glanced once more around Merle's filthy room. There was still one more drawer to go through. She opened it up as he turned to take the bags out to the truck. He stopped when she laughed. At the bottom of the drawer were three large boxes of condoms. One of them was half empty.

She heard Daryl groan.

She glanced up. "You think we should take these?"

He shrugged. "Shoulda thought about that last night, Carol. Ain't gonna do us much good now."

She threw a shoe at him. "That didn't happen, Daryl." She snapped.

"I know." He shrugged.

"You remember?" She narrowed her eyes. "If you remember anything then you have to tell me." She watched him as he raked his gaze over her.

"I don't think it happened. I don't even think we kissed. I remember a little bit." His face was turning red. She didn't think she ever seen a man blush so much.

"I remember some too. I... uh. I'm pretty sure that I would have been able to tell." She was surprised the room wasn't catching fire from the heat from her face.

He frowned. "How?"

She shook her head and walked past him, shoving Merle's condom stash into her bag. He wasn't going to catch the clap on her watch, by God.

"So you really don't think..." He began as he followed her down the stairs, both bags in his hands.

"I don't think. I know we didn't." She said over her shoulder and then she hurried to the cab of the truck like that was going to get her away from his questions.

As soon as she got in it started raining. He tossed the bags into the back and then jumped in himself, shaking his unruly hair, hitting her in the face with rain drops. She laughed. He looked like such a little boy when he grinned like that. He almost looked younger than twenty to begin with but when he smiled like that, he barely looked old enough to drive.

"You're such a child." She laughed as she wiped drops of rain from her face.

He grinned and shook his head. "Nah, ask Merle. Once I start workin' I'll come home all dirty and sweaty and pissed off. It'll be like livin' with a tired old man."

"I definitely can picture that." She pursed her lips and then she absently pushed his wet hair out of his eyes. She thought of something right then and made a face.

"What's the matter now?" He asked, his voice concerned.

"I'm never going to see you." She couldn't believe how unbelievably sad this revelation made her.

"We are gonna live in the same house." He said with a frown. "What are you talkin' about?"

"By the time you get home it'll almost be time for me to go to work and then when I get off you'll be in the bed. I'm gonna be... Oh God, Daryl! I'm gonna be like a single mother to _Merle_!" She wailed.

He started laughing so hard that the whole truck shook. She didn't know why he thought this was so funny. She was nearly devastated. She was looking forward to spending time with _him_ and now their stupid jobs were going to ruin that. The first real friend she made and now she would never see him. "I hate that damn bar." She said as she crossed her arms. She knew she was pouting like a petulant child but at the moment she didn't care. And she didn't just hate it because now she knew she wouldn't get to see him, she hated it because it was a horrible place to work and the people were rotten. It made her feel better that Buck would be right upstairs. He seemed to have taken a liking to her. It would be better tonight. It had to be better tonight.

She was surprised when she felt his rough hand slide under her hair and grasp the back of her neck firmly. She turned her head and his face was close.

"Quit." He said, face intense. "Just quit and go somewhere else."

She stopped breathing for a second and the cab of the truck seemed to be smaller than she remembered. "I can't do that."

He moved in and for a second she thought he was going to kiss her, and it was that moment she realized that she desperately wanted him too. But he just laid his forehead against hers. "Then stop yer fuckin' whinin'." He whispered and grinned.

She shoved him away, laughing. Another intense moment was broken but as he backed out he caught her eye again. "I was kinda bein' serious. If it's that bad then go on somewhere else and then your problems are solved."

"I don't have enough in the bank to cover my cut of everything. I can't risk not finding another job right away. It was a miracle I found this one." She shook her head. "I'll be okay. I'll take Merle with me. He wont let anybody mess with me. I don't think."

"He wouldn't. Besides, it'd be a good excuse for him to fuck somebody up. That, and he kind of likes you. You ain't nothin' like what we're used too."

She frowned. "What are you used too?"

He chuckled. "Very loose women."

"Well, I hope all those condoms weren't just for Merle then." She said tightly. Why was she angry at that? He wasn't hers. He could have all the easy women he wanted. Not like she hadn't been easy herself. But at least she had an excuse. Alcohol did that to a lot of people. Any female that was lacking on morals would have thrown themselves at him.

He looked at her sharply and then shook his head. "Fuck that. I wouldn't touch them bitches with Merle's hands." he made a face.

"Really?" She couldn't help but doubt that.

"Pfft. Really. Ask Merle if you don't believe me. I've been kickin' women like that outta the house for years now. Bastards lucky he ain't caught some sort of crud."

"How many?" She asked.

"How many have I kicked out?" He asked frowning again.

"No. How many women have you had?" She really didn't want to know the answer to that question.

He squirmed in the drivers seat. "Why?"

She shrugged, feeling ridiculous for asking him this question to begin with but it was already out there. No reason to take it back now. "Just curious. Merle has had his fair share, what about you?"

"That's a stupid question." He grumbled.

"No it isn't. We're friends. It's a simple question. Do you need a moment to do a head count?" Why did she sound so angry? She should just drop it. Should and could were two different things though. She wanted to know.

"What about you?" He asked.

"One." She deadpanned.

"No shit?" he glanced at her quickly and then looked away.

"Nope. Some of us were born with morals." She said haughtily.

He was quiet for a while and she finally gave up on him giving her any kind of an answer. "I ain't been with as many as Merle. And that's all I have to tell ya. You're a nosy ass woman, you know that?"

"Well, after last night I think I deserve to know." She grumbled.

"You said we didn't do nothin' last night. Well... we didn't do that, anyway. You tell me how you know we didn't do it and I'll tell you how many women I've been with." He countered, and from the tone of his voice she could tell he was confident that she wouldn't say anything and he would be off the hook.

She stared at him for a long time, that infuriating smirk on his face over what he assumed was a win. She narrowed her eyes. She could feel her face flushing. He was not going to win. Sometimes, for a man so shy, he was a real arrogant ass. She took a deep breath and held it for a second. He glanced at her.

"I remember a little bit. Just bits and pieces but I remember the table." She cleared her throat and he looked at her questioningly and then glanced into the rear view mirror. "I...uh... I can remember thinking, from what I could tell, you're a lot bigger than Ed."

He looked confused for a second. Ed was actually a bit taller than him and definitely fatter. Then realization dawned on him and she watched as his own face grew red.

She went on. "So I am pretty sure that if _that_ had happened then I would have been able to tell. Now, your turn."

He didn't look at her or remove his thumb nail from between his teeth but she did see him roll his eyes. "A few." he muttered.

She huffed and then crossed her arms again, staring out the window.

She made it a point to be as snappy as she could for the rest of the day even though she really didn't have right to be. She did anyway. She was in a bad mood. The last two days had been pretty exhausting. Daryl left with Merle after Buck had dropped the eldest brother off. They had to pick up their bikes. Carol had actually been excited by the idea. One of them were definitely going to have to give her a ride. She had never been on the back of a motorcycle before and she was pretty amazed to learn that they had basically built them themselves.

She glanced at the clock and sighed. It was almost time to get ready to go back to that hell hole. She was dreading it. Putting her in an even worse mood. When someone knocked at the door she was instantly fearful. Would Ed heed Buck's warnings to keep away from her? She could only hope.

When she opened the door she was a little surprised to see Shane standing there.

"Shane? What are you doing here?" She asked as she went out onto the porch. She wasn't sure what the neighbors were saying but she didn't want to throw fuel on the fire by having _another_ man in the house right after the Dixon's left.

"Well, I thought I would come over here and let you know that I'm sorry about earlier. I was..." He cleared his throat, "Rick and I was just worried about you. That's all."

She studied him for a second and then finally offered him a small smile. "That's alright. I was mostly just mad at the neighbors anyway."

"Mostly, huh?" He asked playfully.

She laughed. "Yes. Mostly."

"Well, I guess I'll take what I can get."

"So you came all the way over to apologize for responding to a call?" She asked as she sat on the step.

He sat down next to her and sighed. "No. I came over for a few reason actually." His voice held a bit of uncertainty that made Carol feel a little guilty for the way she had treated him earlier. After all, he was just doing his job. She had instantly went on the defensive.

"Oh?" She could guess what he was here to say to her. The same thing everyone else would certainly be saying to her.

"Carol, I've witnessed first hand the things you've went through over the years. The abuse and the isolation. I just can't help but be worried that maybe you're jumping right into the same kind of relationship. You don't know these men like the rest of us do."

Carol took a deep breath, trying to put a lid on her new found temper. "Shane, I think you're a really great person for caring. I really do. I appreciate it. And I've already heard all about them. The Dixon's are bad men. Stay away from them. They are dangerous. I've heard. But you know what I _see_?" She looked at him and waited until he shook his head. "I see two men that have been dealt a really bad hand. One trying everything he can to take care of the other one and also live under the shadow of his father. I see people look at him and instantly turn away in disgust. And I feel bad for the people that do that. I'm glad I'm not like you."

Shane stared at her in what looked like shock.

"Tell me one thing Daryl Dixon has ever done to deserve your disapproval?"

She had to give him credit. He really did look like he was trying but he came up with nothing so he looked away and then down at his hands.

"Exactly." She said, sounding smug.

"But his brother..."

"Has a serious problem. One that we're going to get him through." She added with conviction.

He studied her. "Their dad is out of prison. Again. Do you know what kind of things that man has done?" He asked.

"I do. And I also know that it doesn't have a thing to do with Daryl. He isn't his dad."

"So it's true then?" Shane asked quietly. "You and Daryl Dixon?"

She frowned. "He's my friend, Shane. If that's what you're asking."

He shook his head. "That wasn't what I was askin'. I just thought that since he spent the night last night that that may have meant a little something."

She smiled softly. "The gossip mill is running full force, huh? You know, sometimes I miss Atlanta. Over in the big city you can have as many friends as you want and usually people are too busy with their own lives to even notice." She sounded bitter, even to her own ears. "He stayed with me because I asked him too. Because I'm tired of being alone here all the time."

"So you and him..."

"Are friends. Hell, I think even Merle is my friend. I'm not sure yet though."

Shane didn't look happy but he didn't say anything else about them. She figured that he knew better now. "Have you had anymore trouble outta Ed?"

She looked off towards the street. "Not really. He called. I ran into him today."

"What?" He looked over at her sharply.

She nodded. "He ran his mouth a little. I made him mad. Daryl stepped in and then Ed and four of his friends were going to try to beat the crap out of him."

"What happened? Did they hurt him?" There was an actual hint of concern in his voice that had her turning and looking at him.

"No. Buck and Merle happened." She gave him a tight smile. "Them showing up had them running for the hills.

They were silent for a long time, the early evening sun was finally showing it's face from between the thinning clouds.

"Carol, would you like to go do something Sunday?" He asked after the silence went on for too long.

She looked at him sharply, feeling a strange panic stir in her gut. Would she like to do something with him Sunday? The night before last she had just been wandering why she hadn't ever fallen for a good man like him. Was he asking her on a date?

"It doesn't have to be a date or anything, if you don't want it to be." He added quickly. "Just two friends doing something other than talkin' on your porch." He smiled and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

She thought of her agreement with Daryl this morning. They were going to forget about last night. They were friends. They were _roommates _now. It didn't matter that deep down, already, she wanted more. It couldn't happen. They had a long hard road ahead of them with Merle. Things couldn't get complicated. Not anymore than they already had.

"I'll just save my ego and say that your silence is a 'not yet' instead of a definite no. If that's alright with you." He smiled.

He was so nice. And he was a good looking man. Not good looking like Daryl but good looking enough to spark her interest just a little. "That might be fun." She heard herself saying. She almost felt bad. She knew what she was doing. She was using him as a distraction. Just something to take her mind off of Daryl.

His eyebrows shot up. "Really? Man, I honestly didn't think I stood a chance in hell." He laughed.

She shook her head, smiling. "It isn't like I'm a huge catch, Shane."

His smile faded. "You know what," He turned his body and actually took her hands in his. "The thing I'd like to beat the shit outta Ed for the most is this. Him convincing you that you ain't one of the most beautiful girls in this whole damn county. He needs to be strung up for that alone."

She was shocked into silence. He still had a hold of her hands and he was looking at her intently. That smile of his, the one that bordered on cocky and sweet lit up his face.

"And you still don't believe it, do you?"

She looked away. Towards the street and that was when she felt his lips brush her cheek right before he let her hands go and stood up.

"How about seven?" He asked. "If you still want."

She nodded, finally looking at him once more.

He grinned. "I'll see ya Sunday then."

Just then she heard the truck and she stood up quickly. She knew how much tension these men had between them but maybe Shane had actually listened to what she had said. Daryl was not what people thought.

When him and Merle jumped down from the truck Shane nodded towards a glaring Daryl. Now maybe she could convince Daryl that Shane was an okay guy himself. Then her life would be that much easier.

Daryl shot her a dirty look before going around and helping his brother with the bikes. What the hell was that about? For a second she could have sworn that he was jealous but she shook that thought off. There was absolutely no way.

She got up after watching them take the bikes around the side of the house and towards the back. She had found another tank top in her drawer that was enough of a match for her work shirt to probably go unnoticed. Thinking about the shirt made her think about him and the foggy events of the night before.

Suddenly she had a very out of the blue but very clear vision in her head. She was in her bed and she was looking down at the top of his head. She could feel the heat from him mouth all over her bare skin and then, very lightly, the tip of that incredible tongue was tracing the line of the largest scar.

She cried out when she felt a hand at the small of her back. She spun around and there was Daryl.

"Damn. Where's your head at? I was makin' plenty of noise, ain't like I snuck up on ya."

She took a deep breath and tried hard to meet his eyes but she couldn't. How far down had his head gotten? Surely if she remembered then so did he. "I didn't hear you." She mumbled, looking down at their feet. She tried to hurry around him but he stopped her with an arm around her waist.

"Can I talk to you?" He asked, his chest rumbling against her back.

She swiftly slipped out from under his arm and turned to face him. She tried to smile but whatever she was managing just made him frown even more. "Sure." She said, her voice was too high pitched.

"I was thinkin' about what we was talkin' about in the car. And I really think you should maybe quit that dump and find somethin' you actually like."

She opened her mouth to say something but he did the same thing to her that she had done to him on the porch. He pressed his finger against her lips and smirked. "Shut up."

She couldn't help it. She smiled against the finger.

"I can manage for a while. Long enough for ya to find somethin' better anyway."

She watched his face carefully. He seemed to be serious but she couldn't let him do that. She knew he was capable. The job he had gotten paid well. But she wasn't another thing he needed to take care of. But the thought of him offering had her insides turning to mush. He had to be the sweetest, most caring man she had ever met.

"I talked to my boss earlier. He needs someone to handle his books. His sister was doin' it for him but she went back to school and he said to send you up to him on Monday some time after lunch. He said he would try you out. And if it don't work then there's somethin' else out there." He searched her wide eyes and something in his face changed. His voice came out quieter. "I owe you one. I'd be fucked if not for you. Just let me do this, call it even, alright?"

He couldn't be serious. There was no way he could be serious! That would be the perfect job for her. And she could see him every day. She shook that last thought out of her mind. She thought about not going back to that bar again and she was filled with so much elation that she suddenly found herself nodding against his finger.

His eyes brightened. "No shit?"

She shook her head and so he dropped his hand away from her mouth. When he did she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and grinning like a fool. He stiffened like he usually did but then thawed out a bit and let his arms drift around her waist. He was getting there. "You are the sweetest man on the face of the earth, do you know that?" She whispered into his ear and she could have sworn she heard his breath catch.

"Pfft!" Was his only response and she couldn't help but laugh again.

"Break it the fuck up, children. We got a case of beer, a loud ass radio and one bad mother fucker of a car to fix."

Merle was leaning against the door frame, eating ice cream out of the carton.

She realized then how hard she had pressed her body against his. Merle turned around and strolled back towards the kitchen. She didn't move away from him. He didn't try to break their closeness either.

"Thank you." she said sincerely as she pulled her face back so she could look at his face but keeping her body rooted to where it was.

He nodded and then his eyes narrowed slightly. "What was Shane Walsh doin' here?"

She had been very intent on studying his lips but hearing Shane's name was like someone tossing a bucket of ice water on her. "Just checking up on me." She looked away. "And he kind of asked me out."

"Oh." He said quickly and then suddenly his arms dropped from around her waist.

"Yeah. He's a pretty nice guy, even if you don't really like him. I told him what you did today, when we ran into Ed, he seemed to be pretty impressed with how you handled it." she took a step away from him. His face was unreadable.

"The last thing I wanna try to do is impress some dumb ass meat head." he grumbled.

"I know." She said, sensing that he disliked Shane a lot more than she had originally thought. "He's always been really nice to me though. And I told him to lay off. You know, when it came to you and Merle."

He was scowling now. "I don't need you talkin' us up to him. It ain't gonna make no difference anyway. From now on how about the two of you find somethin' else to bond over."

Ouch. "That isn't what I was..."

He took a deep breath and then his face smoothed out. "So where y'all gonna go?"

She was almost offended that he would assume that she had accepted Shane's offer to go out to begin with. But she actually had so there was really no reason to get upset about it. She shrugged. "I don't know." She said honestly. "He didn't say."

Daryl looked like he was about to say something else but then there was a knock on the door. With a frown Carol went to answer it. She was not happy to see who was on her porch.

"Hi Carol. Is Daryl here? I brought my car." Amy beamed.

Carol was about to tell the girl to go to hell but suddenly Daryl was right there.

"Hey." He said, less gruffly than Carol would have liked.

Amy gave him a once over and then motioned towards her car that was pulled up next to Daryl's truck. "You feel like takin' it for a spin? Then you can judge for yourself whether you think I need a new transmission."

Carol, for some reason, expected him to tell her no but he walked right past her, snatched the keys out of Amy's hand and shrugged.

"Fuck it. Ain't got nothing better to do."

Carol was pretty much shocked into silence. She couldn't believe he was going to go with that bitch! Amy threw her a wicked smile over her shoulder and then Daryl stopped on the sidewalk. When he looked at her his eyes were hard.

"Tell Merle I'll be back later." He said.

"How much later?" She snapped as she crossed her arms over her chest.

He looked down at the pretty blond and then back up to her and shrugged. "Don't know yet."

And with that he turned and stormed off towards the girl's shiny silver car.

The rest of her evening was spent sulking in the garage while she watched Merle drink beer and buff out the scratches on the fender of her car while singing Sweet Home Alabama at the the top of his fool lungs. It would have been funny if she had someone to laugh with.

It wasn't that he had left with another woman. That really didn't bother her. It was the fact that she had told him what that stupid girl had done to her and now he didn't seem to care at all. So she wouldn't care either. As far as she was concerned, until further notice ,Daryl Dixon could go fuck himself. She turned up the beer Merle had thrown to her earlier and then continued to watch him work.

"Where'd my brother go exactly?" Merle asked after his song was over.

"He went to get laid." She said, finishing the beer.

Merle snorted. "The only pussy that boys interested in is yours, darlin'." He said in the most serious tone. He was barely able to back up fast enough when she sprayed beer out of her mouth.

"Jesus, Merle." She grumbled.

He shrugged. "It's true.

She shook her head but didn't say anything else. She knew better, already, than to argue with him.

**I promise that this little drama will not last for ten chapters! Haha**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey, this is a bit early but it was either post it now or post it way late. I would rather just post it now ;) I have family in from out of state and I have a busy schedule all weekend but I'll still try my best to post every day. For all the love this story has gotten, that is the least I can do. Thank you for reading and reviewing! I hope you all have fun this holiday weekend! Be safe if you are going to be traveling! =)**

Chapter Eleven

The day Daryl had been dreading since Friday was finally here. Sunday. Carol's big date with that sack of shit pig, Shane Walsh. He'd been a huge asshole Friday. He knew she was pissed because he had taken off with Amy but he wanted an out and that annoying girl had shown up at the greatest of times. He wished he had just stayed home and dealt with pretending like he wasn't pissed.

For one, there wasn't a damn thing wrong with that girl's car. It was damn near brand new. She had kept insisting that he just keep driving it and so they had driven around all over town. Then she had needed to stop here and there which had really pissed him off. Then she had actually invited him to her apartment. He had refused. He didn't have the slightest idea what the girl's deal was but he was over it. He just wanted to get back home to his crazy ass brother and Carol, even if he was having all kinds of fucked up feelings that he hadn't ever had to deal with before. All of that would have been much better than dealing with this idiot girl and her rambling annoying voice.

He'd been gone nearly three hours before he finally pulled into the driveway. He tossed her the keys over the hood of the car and she had actually stopped him from walking past her by putting her hands on her chest. He'd had to step back two fucking feet to get away from her. And then she really had him wanting to scramble to the house when she asked him if he would like to go out and do something with her.

He'd been as honest as he could. He told her that she wasn't his type and the crazy bitch had had the nerve to laugh and tell him that she was every mans type.

She had called him twice since Friday. Both times Carol was the one who had answered the phone and both times she had nearly thrown it at him and stormed off. The two of them hadn't talked much and he found himself missing her even though she was right there. But he didn't have much to say to her either. She was pissed at him for hanging out with someone that she didn't like but she was actually going _out_ with an asshole that he despised. Having friends was hard. Having a friend that happened to be a girl that you nearly had sex with and then moved in with was even harder. He almost missed that shitty apartment.

He had somehow managed to end up with the biggest bedroom. He'd been laying there awake for at least an hour, deciding that laying in bed all morning was something he had earned since he'd had such a tough time. He rolled over onto his stomach and stretched. Man, it was a nice thing to be able to do that. That couch he'd been sleeping on for the past year hadn't been big enough for any of that.

His room was right across the hall from her room, right next to the bathroom. He raised his head up when he heard the shower turn on. He groaned. He hated being in there when he knew that she was right fucking there on the other side of the wall, wet and naked.

"Fuck." He growled into the pillow. He really had to stop thinking about her like that. He really did. But it was only getting worse. Yesterday he was watching her eat. Eat! And every time she pulled the fork out of her mouth, dragging her lips across it he would just about stop breathing. It got so bad he'd left the room and avoided her for hours.

"Merle! Get OUT!" He heard her scream.

He was out of bed and shoving his legs through his pants as he was heading towards the door.

"Daryl!" She yelled.

The bathroom door was open and sure enough, there was Merle, just finishing up.

"I had to piss, God, stop screamin'. I didn't even look over that way." Merle grumbled just as Daryl entered the room.

She had the shower curtain pulled tight over herself as she poked her head out of the shower and glared. "That is so gross!" She hissed.

"Oh, like you never have to piss." Merle rolled his eyes. Now it seemed like he was just going to stand there and argue with her.

"Merle, get the hell out. There's a bathroom downstairs too and you know it." Daryl said as he glanced back towards Carol.

"Fine." Merle muttered. "I wont take a piss while you're in the shower anymore."

Carol and Daryl both gaped at him when he grabbed his tooth brush and started brushing his teeth.

"Merle!" She shrieked.

"Merle, get out and leave her alone." Daryl said distractedly. He couldn't focus on his brother when he knew she was about a foot away and she wasn't wearing anything but maybe some soap suds. Jesus, he needed to get the fuck out of here.

"I don't know why ya wanna hide behind jeans and t-shirts and shower curtains all the time, Carol. You got yourself one bangin' ass body. And speakin' of bangin', how come y'all ain't sharin' a room? Was it bad or somethin'? Cause if it was ya gotta give the kid a break, Carol. He can only improve with practice, ya know?"

"Get. Out!" She growled but he ignored her, rinsed off his toothbrush and then turned around to lean against the counter.

"Not until y'all make up. I got eyes. Somethin' ain't right."

"Come on, Merle." Daryl grumbled.

Carol scowled and then jerked the shower curtain back in place. She must have decided that she wasn't going to get a shower in peace today. "Nothing is wrong, Merle." She called from behind the curtain. "Nothing other than your brother is an insensitive prick."

Daryl felt his mouth drop. "What the fuck? Me?" He choked.

"What did ya do to fuck up so fast, little brother?" Merle asked.

"I didn't do shit." he snapped.

"Oh, please. I told you what your little girlfriend did to me and you didn't hesitate to run off with her the first chance you got! And if I ever catch her in this house I'm warning you, I will rip the girls hair out."

Merle was staring at him with wide eyes. "How the fuck do _you _got two girls willing to rip each others hair out over you?"

"Oh, so I can't run around with someone that you don't like but you can go on a goddamn date with Officer Dickface? Knowin' that the asshole hates my guts? Fuck you, Carol."

"Fuck _you_, you jerk!" She snapped as the water turned off. "Merle?"

"Yeah?"

"Towel." She stuck one wet arm out of the shower and Merle put the towel in her hand. "And it isn't a date, Daryl. Like it's even any of your business."

"And it ain't none of yours if I keep hangin' around with that Amy bitch." He snapped back.

"Go to hell." She growled. "You do whatever the hell you want. As long as I get the money for half the bills then I couldn't possibly care less."

"Sounds to me like you're both a little jealous is all. Y'all can work this out." Merle offered.

"Get out!" Daryl roared as he grabbed Merle by the arm and actually forced him out of the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it when he was finally out. "We need to talk. Now." His voice was harsh but he didn't care. They were going to fix this shit right now.

"Get out. I need to get dressed. I have things to do." She sounded like she was losing steam.

"I ain't goin' any damn where until you tell me why the fuck you're really actin' like such a bitch."

"I don't even know." She sniffled.

Oh God. He had made her cry. He took a step towards the shower and then rolled his eyes. What the fuck did he think he was going to do, try to make her feel better while she was naked? He groaned, that was the last thing he should have thought. There were all sorts of ways he could make her feel...

"Carol?" He said, forcing his own thoughts away.

"Will you please just go." She sniffled again, her voice horse.

He never meant to make her cry. He felt bad. Worse than bad. He dropped his head and left the bathroom but he didn't go far. He waited outside the door, trying to think of something he could say to make this better. It wasn't like they could be like this forever. They lived in the same house for fucks sake. He needed to stop being a jealous asshole is what he needed to do but it was hard because that was exactly what he was. A jealous asshole.

His head shot up when the bathroom door opened and she stepped out. She turned without noticing him there, and was about to walk off towards the stairs. He reached out and grabbed her upper arm, causing her to cry out in alarm. When she turned and saw it was him she smacked him in the chest. He hadn't realized he hadn't grabbed a shirt in his haste to get Merle out of the bathroom.

He looked at her face and cringed a little. Her eyes were red and puffy, one lone tear overflowed but before she could wipe it away he caught it with his thumb. His stomach twisted painfully. He'd somehow hurt her enough to make her cry. He felt so bad that he would have done anything at the moment to make her stop. She wouldn't meet his eyes at first, she was staring straight ahead, at his chest.

"You can't stay pissed off at me forever." he muttered, for once in his life wishing that someone would meet his eyes.

"You're not very familiar with how the female mind works, are you? We can very well stay pissed off at any given person, forever."

He wasn't completely sure if she was serious or not. He hoped she was trying to crack a small joke because if not he was in trouble. She surely couldn't stay pissed at him forever. At least he knew why she was pissed. She was pissed over him leaving with Amy. It still made no sense to him though. She could hang out with whoever she wanted but he couldn't? He didn't think he would ever understand females.

"So you're gonna stay pissed at me forever?" he asked, ducking his head so she had no choice but to look at him. He couldn't keep walking around on eggshells anymore and he couldn't stand the thought of her hurting because of him. Even if that meant watching her ride off into the sunset with that fuck face cop with a smile plastered across his face then that's what he'd do. Even if he didn't think it was very fair.

"Yes." She answered as she finally met his eyes.

"Cause of that stupid girl?"

She let out a heavy breath that hit him in the face. "Shane don't like you and he don't like your brother. I know that. But he hasn't ever done one thing to _hurt _you. I can't say the same for your friend. It isn't about me liking your friend or you liking mine. If Shane had done to you what Amy did to me then I'd just as soon spit in his eye than talk to him. And _that_ is why I was pissed."

And there it was. He would have been better off if she had punched him in the gut. He was such a _dick_. He found himself pulling her closer without even knowing how his arms had gotten around her. "I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better I was fuckin' miserable the whole time and there wasn't even anything wrong with her damn car."

"Mmm Hmm. You were gone for over three hours. Were you miserable that _whole_ time?" She lifted one eyebrow.

He nodded. "She's an idiot. She wouldn't shut up and she kept makin' me stop everywhere. I drew the line when she invited me to her apartment."

"You did?" He could tell that this surprised her.

"Yeah. What did you think? That I was out getting' laid?"

"Yes." She said bluntly and then narrowed her eyes, like she still believed that was exactly what he had done.

"Pfft. You coulda asked, Carol."

"It wasn't any of my business." She said haughtily.

"Was you jealous?" He couldn't help but ask even though he knew there was no way in hell she would be jealous of him with another girl. Her only problem had been _the _girl that he was with.

"Are you jealous of Shane?" She asked without answering his question.

"Yeah." He said without thinking. Shit.

She looked confused for a second and he knew he had to say something else. He had to diffuse the situation. He let her go and stepped away, into the wall. "Look, I wont ever talk to the girl again. Ever. As long as you stop bein' such a hateful ass. And I'll even be halfway nice to Shane. Or I'll try. I still think he's a real sack of shit and I still think you could do better. Hell, I would rather you date my brother than that clown."

"I'm not dating him. And I would never date Merle. I would never date a man that would barge into the bathroom and take a leak regardless of who else may be in the there. It's disgusting. And then he just rolled his eyes at me like I was some sort of annoyance."

Daryl couldn't help but laugh. Merle had been doing that to him since he was old enough to shower by himself. It never failed.

"That isn't funny!" She said but he saw the corners of her mouth turn up.

"Better you than me." He shrugged.

And that was that. The weekend from hell was over. That afternoon was spent with Merle, in the garage, drinking beer and finally finishing up with Carol's car. It was turning into a good day. She even brought them a late lunch and then hopped up on the counter and watched them work. Time flew by. He had even managed to forget about Carols date.

"Might as well change the oil." Merle said from under the car. Daryl didn't even know why he was under there to begin with. There wasn't anything wrong with it but Merle was a bit of a gear head. He was in his element.

"I checked that already." Daryl said as he wiped his hands on an old rag.

"Boy, you can't never keep a car like this clean enough. Don't worry bout it. I know what I'm talkin' about."

"Cause you think you know every damn thing." Daryl grumbled.

"That ain't true at all, asshole. I'm an expert at three things. And classic cars is one of'em."

Daryl rolled his eyes and walked to the work bench, leaning into it next to where Carol was sitting, swinging her legs back and forth and grinning at their banter. "And the other two?" he asked.

Merle wriggled himself out from under the car and gave them a brilliant grin. "That's an easy one to answer. Fightin' and pussy." He sighed. "Greatest three things known to man."

Daryl groaned but Carol laughed. "God, don't encourage him." He grumbled.

She put an arm around his shoulder and leaned her face close to his. "I don't think it matters. Merle is going to be Merle whether he's encouraged or not." She whispered into his ear.

He snorted, even though her lips being that close to his ear caused the blood in his veins to turn to fire. He turned his head so her face was right there in front of his.

"Y'all ain't gotta whisper about me now." Merle said suddenly. Neither of them noticed his approach but there he was, looming in their space. Daryl wanted to kick him. Especially when he maneuvered his big stupid self right there between her legs and then wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Merle, go away." he growled.

"Oh, don't be getting' all jealous on me, little brother." Merle grinned wickedly.

Daryl was about to come off with an offensive retort when suddenly her other arm went around his neck and she leaned the top half of herself into him. "Looks like your gonna have to save me from your brother, Daryl. He's deluded himself into thinkin' he's gotta chance in hell." She drawled into his ear.

Merle laughed.

"Am I interruptin' somethin'?"

Daryl looked towards the open garage door and there stood an awkward looking Shane Walsh. With Merle standing there in front of her and her arms wrapped around Daryl's neck he figured this made for an interesting sight. Poor Carol.

"Oh my God, Merle, move!" She hissed.

Merle turned around and leaned himself against the bench on her other side. She dropped her arms from around his neck, her face flaming, and hopped down from the work bench.

"No, you didn't interrupt anything." She said, but she sounded quite embarrassed. Him and Merle shared a look.

Shane just nodded. "I tried to call but no one answered. I figured I would check back here before I left. I was wantin' to ask you if you wanted to head out a little earlier. I gotta cover a shift tonight so I can't be out as late."

Carol glanced back but Daryl just smirked. He was really going to try to make her happy and if that meant to put up with assholes like Shane then that's what he would do. She smiled at him and it almost looked apologetic. She gave Merle a parting glare before she turned and walked towards the door.

"That's fine. I have to turn in early anyway." She said as she walked towards him.

Shane nodded and then once she reached him he glanced up over her head and glared at him and then Merle. Daryl grinned and waved and Merle glared right back and gave him the finger.

"You knew he was headed this way, didn't ya?" Daryl asked when they were out of the garage.

"Yep." Merle said as he killed his beer and then shook his head sadly. "Boy, how you gonna let that girl run off with that asshole? Don't it piss you off?"

Daryl shrugged. "She ain't mine. What the fuck could I say about it?"

"You don't _say_ shit, baby bro. You gotta _show _that girl that she don't need nobody else around but you. Well, and me but that ain't important." He slapped Daryl on the back.

"I've tried dumb ass." He grumbled. And he really had. He would never put up with so much shit from anybody else. He was always swallowing his pride and shutting his mouth. Always agreeing to shit he would never have agreed to before.

"Oh, I've been waitin' for this day for a long time." He grinned as he threw his arm over Daryl's shoulder. "You might think you've tried, but you ain't yet. I got a few tricks up my sleeve that I'm gonna pass down to ya, boy." He looked thrilled to finally be able to school his little brother.

Daryl was surprised that he was actually about to take advice from his brother. But he was getting desperate. Desperate enough to rely on Merle's vast knowledge of pleasing women. Jesus, he was in bad shape.

"Ya see, pleasin' a woman seems to be a pretty easy thing in theory, ya know. But this ain't the truth. The truth is, once you get her panties off..."

"Jesus, Merle." Daryl grumbled.

"Just listen, damn it. I know you done got to that part, but if you had gotten my advice earlier she wouldn't be runnin' off with that douche bag. Now, once you get her panties off, a woman becomes a very complicated creature. Ya can't just go at it all ravenous and what not, you gotta know exactly what to do to get her ready for ya. Stick out your tongue."

Daryl frowned. "What?"

"Just stick out your goddamn tongue! Do ya want her or not?"

Daryl sighed and then stuck out his tongue.

Merle laughed. "Oh yeah, by the time I'm done schoolin' you that girls gonna forget that any other man in the world even exists, boy."

Daryl rolled his eyes but he couldn't help but listen to his brother and store away every little tidbit of information that Merle had to offer. It was about time Merle acted like he was the big brother.

**I know that it is a little weird that so much stuff has happened just in a matter of days as far as this story is concerned. I really didn't do that intentionally. I have this annoying tendency to over elaborate, dwell on inner dialogue and basically ramble when I shouldn't. I'm really hoping that it isn't messing the story up! I've tried to break this habit but, like many habits, it is a slow process! XD **


	12. Chapter 12

**Things are finally going to start getting exciting! I would have posted this much earlier but I fell asleep, like a pansy, and just woke up in time to go over this once and then post it. If you see a butt ton of mess ups then forgive me! I went over it bleary eyed and un-caffeinated! Thank you for taking time out of your extended weekend to read! I hope this chapter makes it worth it =) Enjoy the rest of your weekend and please be safe! **

Chapter 12

Carol didn't think she had ever been so bored. Shane was a really nice guy but all he wanted to talk about was himself. She was losing interest in this 'non' date really quick. They were at the only Italian restaurant in town, and it was only called 'Italian' because they had spaghetti on the menu, which they both ordered.

"So, you grew up in Savannah?" He asked.

"Atlanta, actually." She said, smiling politely.

He nodded. "Me and a buddy of mine used to go down there a lot..."

She tuned him out. Whenever she had meals with Daryl and Merle she had to listen to Merle talk about himself but Merle was pretty hilarious. And it helped to have Daryl there, even though the weekend had been spent giving him the cold shoulder, it was still nice to have someone there to roll her eyes with when Merle got a little too animated... or graphic, with one of his stories. Shane wasn't very interesting. Not as interesting as the men she had at home anyway.

She took a sip of her coke and then excused herself. She thought maybe she had just cut him off mid sentence but she didn't really care. He just smiled so she hurried off towards the bathroom, digging her phone out of her bag on the way there.

Merle answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Merle? Where's your brother?" She asked as she went into the empty bathroom.

"Carol? Oh, hey. He just took a couple ladies up to his room. Want me to have him call ya when they're finished with him?"

Her heart sank. He had women over? Now?

"Goddamn it Merle," She heard Daryl's annoyed voice and then she heard a slight scuffle as they must have been fighting for the phone and then she finally heard Daryl's very winded voice..

"Carol?"

"Daryl, who do you have in your room?" She asked, sounding almost angry.

"What? Nobody. Merle's just bein'... Merle."

"Oh." She muttered, feeling pretty stupid for believing Merle to begin with.

"Is everything all right? Why ya callin' home if you're suppose to be on a date?" He asked.

She sighed. "He's boring me to death. What are you two doing?" She leaned against the sink and smiled.

"Merle tried to cook. Fucker nearly burned the kitchen down." He laughed and then grunted. Merle must not have liked that.

"Carol?" She heard Merle ask into the phone.

"Merle, what did you do to your brother?" She asked as she tried to hide her own laughter.

"He'll be alright. Hey, can you bring home some beer?"

"Sure, Merle. Put your brother back on the phone."

"Yeah, just a second." He was the one that grunted this time. "Hey, you wont believe some of the shit I taught Daryl today. You're gonna be climbin' the walls." he laughed and then she heard a banging sound.

"Hello?" She asked, almost worried. She hoped they weren't tearing the house apart.

"Alright, I'm back." Daryl huffed.

"Are you two fighting?" She asked.

"Nope. Not at all. Do you want me to come get ya or somethin'? Is he really that bad?" She thought she could hear a little smugness in his tone.

"No, but I'm going to try to cut this short. I wanna come home."

"Alright."

She ended the call and couldn't help but smile at the thought of Merle trying to cook something. He had lived without her for thirty two years but she wasn't really sure how. Neither of them seemed to know their way around a kitchen.

Shane was talking up a waitress when she returned to their table. The girl looked a lot more interested in him than she was, that was for sure. When he spotted her coming towards the table he went ahead and stood up. "I thought we could go ahead and go. I only have about another two hours before I gotta be at the station."

She nodded.

"What?" He asked.

She frowned in confusion. "I didn't say anything." She said as they made their way out to the sidewalk.

"You were smilin'. It's the first real one I seen on your face all night." he grinned and then opened up the car door for her.

"Oh. I didn't realize I was smiling at all." She said as she plastered on a fake one just to be polite. Had she really been smiling? It didn't surprise her any. That short phone conversation was the best thing about the entire night so far. She suddenly couldn't wait to get home and see Daryl. And Merle. She added mentally. Merle was really growing on her. He was such a riot most of the time. He was always making her laugh, especially after Daryl would get a call from Amy and she would start feeling really down.

God she was really glad that her and Daryl had worked all of that out. She had missed him like crazy. Merle was funny and he made her feel better when she was upset but he wasn't his brother. It was so strange that she could feel so much for two people that she had only known for a few days. But she did. She could not deny the fact that she was completely head over heels for the Dixon's. Particularly the youngest.

"You want to stop anywhere on the way?" Shane asked without looking over at her.

"I told Merle I would pick him up some beer on the way home." She sighed. She wouldn't mind a beer herself at the moment.

"So those rumors are true? You moved the Dixon's in?" He asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.

"Yes. I did." She said, knowing her tone had dropped a few degrees but not really caring.

"And that's working out okay for you?" He asked.

"Yes."

He didn't say anything else until they pulled into the parking lot to the liquor store closest to her neighborhood. Which still wasn't all that close. She gave him a tight smile as she got out of the car and headed for the door. Right before she opened it, though, she thought she heard something from around the side of the building. She frowned. It had almost sounded like an injured animal.

She thought of her dog and then blocked the image from her thoughts. She didn't want to think about that. But if there was some other animal in pain, she couldn't simply walk away and leave it to suffer. Even if it was probably wild. They got a lot of racoons and opossums at her house so that was most likely what it was.

She walked past the doors and around the corner. This side of the building was pretty dark so she let her eyes adjust and then walked a little further. She heard a strange gurgling sound that had her pausing and tilting her head to figure out where it was coming from. She took a few more steps, letting her eyes adjust.

Just then someone pulled into the parking lot behind her, the cars headlights illuminating the side of the building. She instantly let out a terrified scream before her brain fully processed what it was she was looking at. A woman lying on her side. Dark hair. Dark eyes staring wide. It looked as though she had been sliced from her neck all the way down to her midsection. Three long gashes so deep that her entrails were lying next to her body. A shining mess against the blacktop.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she spun around, ready to bolt. Shane was standing there his face full of concern.

"Carol, what the hell..." His voice died when he looked past her at the body on the ground. She wouldn't look at it again. She couldn't look at it again. Had she really just seen what she thought she had seen? There was no way. None!

She felt Shane's arms go around her waist and she let him hurry her away. She was distantly aware of him making calls as he paced back and forth in front of her as she leaned against the hood of his car. After a while there was a flurry of activity around her but she was having trouble registering anything that was happening. Flashing lights and a lot of men were meandering around. Several, including Rick Grimes, tried to get her to tell them what she had seen. She wasn't even sure what she had said to them.

She felt very cold and very alone. She wanted to go home. She wanted Daryl.

Suddenly there was a cell phone shoved into her face. She looked up and saw that it was Shane standing there, still looking at her with eyes full of concern. "Here, Carol." He said gently.

She took the phone and put it to her ear. "H-hello?" She muttered, her voice trembled dangerously.

"Carol. What the fuck's goin' on? You alright?" Daryl asked, his voice bordering on panic.

"Daryl?" She croaked. As soon as she heard his voice she started shaking all over. She happened to glance up just as some of the men were pushing a gurney towards an ambulance and the memory of that poor woman's dead eyes staring at her came rushing back. "I need you. I need you to come get me." She nearly sobbed as she turned away. She could feel Shane's hand on her back.

"Where are you?" He growled into the phone, "Give the phone back to Shane."

She did as he said. Shane listened for a few seconds, assured Daryl that she really was fine, said the name of the liquor store and then he ended the call.

There were so many people walking around everywhere that she was afraid to move. She just wanted to go home. She didn't want to get in anybodies way but she didn't want to stay here anymore. She felt like she had been standing there for hours, freezing.

"Fuck you and your stupid hat, asshole! It was another cop that called and told me to come here!"

Daryl.

Her head shot up at the sound of his enraged voice.

"Shit." Shane muttered. "Stay right here, okay? I'll bring him around. You can't leave yet though, alright." He said quickly and then he jogged past one of the ambulances that was parked next to the car she was now leaning against.

She stayed very still, her arms wrapped around herself and waited for what seemed like an eternity for him to get to her. When she finally saw him she felt her eyes finally well up with tears. She was still shaking and she thought maybe she was still too shocked to fully understand what was going on around her but it felt like as long as he was there then maybe she would be okay.

He looked nervous as he followed Shane to the car. He was chewing his nail like he always did when he was uncomfortable. When Shane pointed towards her he looked over and she could see him blow out a heavy breath. He stopped listening to Shane and walked towards her, stopping a few feet away, unsure what he was suppose to do.

"You alright?" He asked, his voice almost too quiet to hear.

She nodded and then basically threw herself at him. He grunted when she crashed into him but his arms instantly wrapped around her and then she was sobbing into his chest as his arms tightened.

"What the fuck happened?" He muttered into her ear.

She just shook her head. She didn't want to talk about it and she didn't want to think about it. She just wanted to go home. He held her there for a long time, until she was finally able to speak at all. "Where's Merle?" She hiccuped.

He snorted. "Tryin' to figure out the code I had to put on the T.V."

This was normal. Normal was good. She could have a conversation like this. "What?" She lifted her head and looked at him questioningly. "We have parental controls on the T.V.?"

He nodded, running his thumbs across her cheekbones to wipe away tears. "If not then he'd keep it on skin flicks. I had no choice."

"My God, Daryl. He really is like a child." She shook her head and then let it drop back to his chest.

"Yep."

He didn't ask her about what had happened again. He knew she didn't want to talk about it. She knew that someone else was coming towards them by the way his body tensed around her.

"Carol, they're gonna need a statement from you." Shane said softly.

She knew she needed to give them what they needed so she could go but she didn't want to. She felt herself start to shake again as she remembered the dead girls eyes.

"Why don't you leave her the fuck alone, Shane. She look like she wants to fuckin' talk about it?"

Uh oh. If he thought for a minute that Shane was making her uncomfortable she was sure there would be a fight and she couldn't have him going to jail for assaulting a police officer, even an off duty one. She'd never be able to get him out. And then she would be stuck raising Merle all on her own. This thought caused laughter to bubble up from her throat. It sounded a bit hysterical. Good God, they were going to think she'd lost her mind.

She lifted her head and wiped her eyes. When she looked at his face he was glaring at Shane but when he looked down at her the look softened. "You ain't gotta do shit." He said quietly.

"Look, I saw pretty much the same thing you did. I just need you to answer a few question's for Rick, okay? Then I can write the statement and you sign it." Shane muttered. "Then he can take you home."

She nodded and then turned so her back was pressed against Daryl's chest. Him being there really did make her feel better. She was finally starting to feel warm again.

She related everything she had heard and seen to Rick and then waited for Shane to bring her the statement to sign. She barely glanced over it. Hell, for all she knew she was signing a confession. They were about to walk away when she stopped, grabbing Daryl's hand to halt him too.

"Rick." She called and he hurried over to her. She was speaking in a hushed tone before he could even ask her what she'd wanted. "The way that girl was... cut. It was almost just like my dog. Do you think...?"

"That's what we're going to try to figure out." He said. "You go on home. Keep your doors locked and your guard up, Carol. At least until we figure this out anyway." He gave Daryl a nod before he turned and hurried away.

He kept a firm grip on her hand as they made their way to the truck. She opted to not used the seat belt so she could slide across the seat and sit next to him.

"Y'all can't think that this is Ed. From what Shane told me there ain't no way. He ain't got it in him to do some shit like that. Maybe to a dog but not to a woman." Daryl said quietly.

She laid her head on his shoulder and then absently traced the line running down her stomach with her finger. She wasn't as sure as Daryl was. She had lived with Ed. She knew how cruel he was and she knew that he was a coward but he was also sadistic. She wouldn't put anything past him. Especially id there was alcohol involved.

"You sure your alright? You ain't gonna start freakin' out on me are ya?" He asked as he glanced at her.

She shook her head and then closed her eyes just to snap them right back open when she saw that woman in her minds eye. "I'll be fine."

They drove the rest of the way in silence and once they were inside she double checked the locks on the doors. Merle was where she expected him to be, sprawled out on the couch watching television. She was beyond ready to go to bed. She felt exhausted and she was planning on getting up with Daryl in the morning. If she didn't she knew he wouldn't eat anything and she wasn't about to send him off half starved. She glanced at the clock and was surprised to see that it was already after nine. She told them both goodnight then went up the stairs, feeling their eyes on her as she walked away.

She was more thankful than ever that they were here. She just hoped their presence was enough to keep any nightmares away. She changed into a plain white tank top and short cotton shorts that she only wore to bed. She fell asleep much faster than she thought she would. Too bad she wasn't going to be able to stay that way.

~H~

Daryl couldn't sleep. He knew that he needed too but there was no turning off his mind. When she had called tonight while she was out with that prick cop, to talk to him, he wasn't sure what to think. He was glad she had called. But it still just fucked with his head. He didn't think it was normal for a woman to be so damn hot and cold. He never knew what she wanted from him. And then when Shane called him, explaining what had happened and then told him that any time anyone tried to talk to her that she had just asked for him he'd been even more confused. Not that he realized that at the time. At the time he had damn near had a fucking heart attack. Shane hadn't been real clear on the details and he had hung up before Daryl could ask any questions. He'd only known that she had needed him.

And so now here he lay, staring up at the ceiling with his arms folded behind his head. He'd fallen asleep a few times but he'd wake right back up with another question running through his head. He had heard Merle going to his room a few hours ago. He was nearly out of drugs, Daryl could tell by the way he had started acting earlier. He was getting itchy. This was where things were going to get ugly. But Merle was more than willing to try Carol's idea of weening him off the stuff.

His head turned sharply when he heard a soft tap at his door. He knew it wasn't Merle. Merle never knocked on doors. A few seconds later he watched as Carol slipped in. He could see pretty good since he had been staring up at the ceiling for so long, his eyes were adjusted to the dark. She was wearing all white, just a shirt that was so thin he could almost see right through it. No bra. He swallowed hard and watched as she hesitated by the door. The shorts she was wearing were short enough that he knew that if she turned around he'd get a decent show of her ass.

Jesus, how the fuck could he be thinking about shit like that after what she'd been through tonight?

He heard her sigh and then turn to leave the room again.

"What's wrong?" He whispered and watched as she froze with her hand on the doorknob.

She turned around and tucked her hair behind her ears and then crossed her arms over her chest, probably realizing that she may as well have came into his room topless. "Did I wake you up?" She whispered.

He shook his head and kept his eyes on her. She seemed to still be hesitating but then finally came to a decision and she hurried over to the bed and slid in under the blanket before he could say anything.

Fuck.

He didn't sleep in anything but his boxers and if she came any closer she was probably going to discover exactly what kind of reaction he was having to her barely there night clothes. God, why'd this have to happen to him now?

She scooted closer and put her head on his shoulder. "I keep dreaming about that woman." She whispered. Her breath hit his neck, more blood rushed south.

Mother fucker!

He moved one arm out from under his head and wrapped it around her shoulders. Jesus, of she looked down she would be able to see it like a flashing neon sign. "I'm sorry." He croaked and then cleared his throat.

"Can I sleep with you? Or is that too weird?" She asked as she put her hand on his chest. His heart was hammering there and he knew that she would be able to feel it. He was okay with that as long as she didn't look down.

"Ain't no more weird than anything else we've done so far." He managed.

"I guess not." she mumbled as she flexed her fingers so her nails were raking slightly across his chest. He concentrated on keeping his breathing even. "I wanna forget about what I saw."

He nodded. "You will."

"I'm glad you're here." she whispered.

He nodded. "Me too." He whispered back. He wished she would stop moving her fingers like that. He drew his other arm from under his head and laced his fingers through hers to still them.

"I wanna forget now." She said after a while. She raised her head and looked him him with wide eyes, biting her lip. "I want you to help me forget."

He frowned. "Okay."

"You promise you wont freak out?" she raised up on her elbow so now he could see her more clearly. Her eyes were large and intense and was watching him intently.

He swallowed and nodded and then he felt his own eyes grow wide when she brought her face down and brushed her lips across his so lightly he barely felt it. But it was enough. When she moved her head back his hand was already in her hair, bring her face back to his making sure this time when their lips met he was ready.

He'd kissed girls before. It had been a while. Back when he was in school it was a way for girls to rebel. Make out with the forbidden Dixon boy. Hell, he hadn't cared. Sometimes he was even able to cop a feel. But he hadn't ever been kissed by a girl like this. Not so slow, like she was trying to prolong every second. He'd never kissed a girl that he couldn't go a few minutes throughout the whole day without thinking about. He felt her lips part under his own, the tip of her tongue gliding across his bottom lip. He figured then that it was a good time to finally do what he had been wanting to do ever since the first time he saw her do it, he caught her bottom lip between his teeth and bit down lightly.

The small sound she made had him reeling and he grasped her hip tightly, and then groaned when his hand slid down and made contact with the bare skin of her thigh. Her tongue fought his for dominance, neither one willing to relent to the other. She was moving closer now, her bare leg barely brushing his. Was this the real reason she had came to his room?

He nearly growled at her in frustration when she pulled her face away from him. Her breath was coming out in shallow gasps. "I'm sorry." She breathed.

He blew out a breath and then let his head fall back onto his pillow. "You should be." He said with mock outrage.

He saw her eyes grow even more wide. "I should?" She sounded winded. That was a good thing. Right? Fuck, he didn't know.

"Yeah, don't you know that the last thing a man wants is for a half naked woman to crawl in his bed and kiss him like that? The hells wrong with you, Carol?"

It took her a second but she finally smiled and then she dropped her head back to his shoulder. "Go to sleep Daryl."

"Go to hell Carol." He grumbled. Why the hell had she stopped? Maybe it was better that she had. Things were weird enough and they were about to get pretty bad now. He had to keep his focus on Merle, not on kissing her.

That was going to be hard though. Especially now that he knew what it was like to kiss her. Before, he'd catch himself thinking about what it would be like, now he had to look at her _knowing _how fucking good it was. And knowing that she'd probably only came to him because she was freaked out over what she had seen and her only options were him or Merle. He found himself chuckling at that. Merle. He couldn't see that at all.

"What are you laughing at?" She asked.

He shrugged. "I feel kind of bad for ya."

She lifted her head and looked down at him. "Why?"

He shook his head smiling. "That when ya find yourself in need of some company, your only options are Merle and me."

"You really think I'm just in here because I think it's better than my other option?" She asked, and she sounded genuinely curious. Like this surprised her or something.

"Why else would you be in here?" He asked bluntly.

He grunted when suddenly she was on top of him. She was fucking _fast_. And then her mouth was assaulting his relentlessly again. If she didn't know how much he was enjoying himself before, she definitely did now, since she was right on top of it.

He had always been proud of the fact that he was the type of man that was usually in control. He stepped up and fought against odds that would crush men twice his age. He was strong. And that was why he felt more than disoriented now. Now he felt completely crushed under the weight of the power this one small woman held over him. He carried the world on his shoulders. At least his small part of it. And sometimes he thought that maybe he really was unbreakable, since nothing had broken him yet. Not Buck, not Merle's addiction, not the hate he felt from the people around him. But right now he felt like glass. He felt like if she made one wrong move he would surely shatter and suddenly he was very afraid. If she dropped him it was over.

"Don't you ever think that you're just a convenience to me. There isn't anybody else I'd rather be here with right now." She said in his ear when she finally broke the kiss, and to him she sounded a little pissed.

He wished he knew what the fuck she meant by that. But he didn't know. He cupped her face in his hands and brought her mouth back down to his. Who would have thought that she would turn out to be so ballsy? And who would have thought that he would be so fucking eager? He felt like he was living in the Twilight Zone.

"Daryl." She whispered against his lips.

"Hmmm."

"I think we should stop."

"Mmm hmm." He couldn't really form a coherent thought anymore because she was starting to move her hips and once she started doing that he found his hands urging her to move faster.

"Maybe we shouldn't do it like this." She whispered again.

He rolled over, pressing her into the mattress. "Okay. We can do it like this." He whispered back.

She laughed against his mouth again. "I meant that maybe we shouldn't do it at all."

He lifted his head. "At all?" He croaked. Son of a bitch! She couldn't be serious. Hadn't she just said that there wasn't anybody else she'd rather be with? She was really trying to kill him.

"No! Just... not yet." she pulled his face down and kissed him again, running her hands down his back.

Okay. He could live with that. Maybe. He lifted himself up, bracing himself on his arms so he wouldn't be tempted to sink back into it. "Alright. But next time, make sure you think of this _before_ you climb on top of me."

She laughed quietly. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize how eager you already were."

He growled and then rolled off of her and onto his back once more. "Go to sleep, Carol." There was no way he was going to sleep now. How the hell was he suppose to go to sleep with her right there?

"Are you mad?" She asked as she took her spot once more, laying her head on his shoulder.

"No." He shook his head but his voice was gruff.

"Do you need to... go take care of that?" She giggled.

He turned his head slowly, glaring at her in the dark. "Are you really gonna make fun of me now? _You_ did this. You're an evil witch, you know that? I should kick your teasin' ass right outta my bed."

"You'd never do that to me." She whispered.

"No. I wouldn't." He huffed and then drew her closer.

"Cause you're too sweet." She laughed low in her throat.

"Cause I'm a goddamn pushover." he closed his eyes and started thinking of things that would maybe make his problem go away. After a while, when he knew she had fallen asleep, he grinned sleepily.

It seemed like things were going to get even more interesting around here. It was easy to be brave when you were shit faced or when the lights were out. She was going to be red faced and stuttering for the next couple of days. He hoped she didn't change her mind. He had a feeling that that would be a very hard thing to get over.


	13. Chapter 13

**This chapter may raise a few hackles. If it does then I sincerely apologize. People go to extreme lengths sometimes to help people that they care about. I know it for a fact because I've done it myself. People find themselves in positions that call for hard decisions and sometimes very unorthodox actions. Not that i have ever had to do any of the things that the characters in this chapter had to do but most of us have dealt with demons in our life, or known people dealing with their own. Not everyone handles things the way others think they should. So, before you say, "She would never do that", I'm here to tell you that you don't know what people are capable of until the choices they have are either do it, or give up. **

**I was a little nervous about posting this chapter. I know that I wont come out on the other side of it without a slight thorn in my side, but that is something I expect on a daily basis now ;) Some people thrive on things like that. I choose to coo over it like it's cute. In a way it is. XD**

**Anyway, get to reading! I hope my fears turn out to be for nothing. This had to be written for things to progress. Thank you for reviewing! Enjoy your Memorial Day and keep yourselves safe out there! **

Chapter Thirteen

It wasn't Daryl's alarm clock that woke her up. It was Merle. She could hear him next door, getting sick. They had expected this. She would feel embarrassed about tonight later. Now she had a job to do. She eased herself out from under Daryl's arm and moved as lightly as she could but he raised his head up anyway.

"Go back to sleep. I got it. I have to learn how to do this." She whispered and then surprised herself when she leaned down and kissed him.

He just sighed and sat up anyway. "This is gonna be ugly. I'm here now so you shouldn't have to deal with it yet."

"It isn't going to be so ugly yet. Go to sleep." She hissed as she slipped out of his room and went to her own. She pulled on a pair of jeans and grabbed a t-shirt. She really couldn't believe she was about to do this. She glanced around her room nervously, as though someone were spying on her. She got down the small box that Daryl had stashed in the top of her closet and then went to her dresser. From the top drawer she pulled out a fresh needle and held the end of it in her mouth while she opened the small box, taking out the things she needed. Or more like the things Merle needed.

As she held the spoon over the small candle flame she frowned at the liquid as it began to bubble. Just then Daryl entered the room. She nearly jumped and spilled it.

"I did something wrong." She whispered as she took the syringe from between her teeth. "It turned brown." She wanted to take the whole thing and throw it away, or burn it all or flush it down the toilet. She didn't want to have anything to do with this. She didn't want this in her house. Jesus, she couldn't even express the amount of disgust she felt when she looked down at the poison that was simmering on the spoon. But this was what Merle needed. Daryl needed her to be strong and fight through the disgust and _be_ there for him. He was a strong man but he couldn't keep doing things on his own. She wanted him to know that no matter what it was, she was going to be there for him one hundred percent.

He looked at her for a few seconds and then he dropped his head and stared at the floor. He looked so sad that her heart nearly cracked. Her eyes started stinging.

"Carol, I don't want you to do this." He said, finally looking up at her, the pain on his face had her looking away. She ignored his words. How long had he done this on his own? He was always alone. He wasn't alone anymore.

"I can do this." She said stubbornly. "Just tell me again how to do it."

"It's suppose to look like that." He said as he plucked the syringe from her hand.

She nodded and then let him do the rest while she made her way to the bathroom. She blinked back tears before she went in.

He was on his knees, still heaving into the toilet. He had on jeans and nothing else and she could see the sweat pouring down his broad back. His hands were pressed into his thighs but they were obviously shaking.

She knelt next to him and put a cool hand on the back of his neck. He hung his head much like Daryl had done. This wasn't a man that was proud of what he had become and she felt another fissure, another crack in her heart.

"You finished?" She whispered as she stroked the back of his head gently.

He nodded slightly and reached up to flush with a trembling hand. He stood up shakily, meeting her eyes before he went to the sink and rinsed out his mouth. "This is just the start of it, darlin'." There was no humor in his eyes or his voice. He looked away.

Her eyes went to his arms then. She realized she had never seen them before. Not really. He always wore long sleeves with the sleeves rolled up half way. His arms were a mess of bruises and scabs. She swallowed hard and when she looked up at his face he was watching her.

"You got yourself into a hell of a mess, you know that?" He said in a strained voice.

She shook her head. "I'm good at cleaning up messes. We're gonna be just fine." Her voice sounded stronger than she felt. The corner of his mouth pulled up and then Daryl came in. He didn't look at her.

"Can you do it?" He asked Merle.

Merle held out his hands. They were trembling uncontrollably.

Carol watched in morbid fascination as Daryl deftly tightened a thin belt around Merle's upper arm, used a cotton ball soaked in alcohol to clean the spot he had deemed good enough and then slid the needle in like he was a practiced medical professional. Blood shot up into the syringe before Daryl pushed in on the plunger with his thumb. He carefully capped the used needle and then dropped it into the trash can.

It didn't take Merle long to start to look much better. Daryl on the other hand still wouldn't look at her at all. He wordlessly left the room. Shoulders slumped and head down.

"He thinks it's too much." Merle said as he watched Daryl leave the bathroom. "He's thinkin' you're gonna realize you can't do all this." He studied her face. "I don't believe it. But if I'm wrong about you then you gotta tell _me_, you understand? I can go. I ain't gonna be the cause of him losin' one more thing. Especially not you."

Carol watched him walk out but her legs weren't ready to take her anywhere. Why did Daryl keep thinking that she would just give up? It hurt to think that he didn't trust her. But then again she couldn't blame him. Not really. How many people had he been able to depend on in his life? Just himself. She needed him to know that she wasn't going anywhere. She couldn't.

She figured that maybe he wanted to be alone. Too bad for him. This was going to be a night filled with Daryl Dixon not getting his way. She slipped back into the room and stood there silently as she let her eyes adjust to the darkness. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking up at her with his head tilted slightly.

"Ya get lost?" He asked quietly.

"No. But if you'd rather I _get_ lost then I could do that. Maybe."

"Smart ass." He grumbled.

"Dickhead." She deadpanned.

This did it. If she really wanted to get a laugh out of him she had to cuss. She didn't know why but he always found this funny. It wasn't much of a laugh but it was a start. She crossed the room and sat down next to him.

"You still have an hour. You should go to sleep." She said as she leaned back on her elbows with her legs still dangling off the bed.

"I ain't too sleepy anymore. You worry too damn much." He grumbled.

"Maybe I care. People worry about people that they care about. And between the two of us, you worry more. And you worry about things that you have no business worrying over."

"What's that?" He asked, sounding like he already knew the answer but needed to hear her say it anyway.

"About me. I already told you that I don't plan on going anywhere. When are you going to believe that?" She kept her eyes on his back, wanting nothing more than to touch him but not sure if their moment had past. Would he want her to touch him? Now that Merle was dealt with she could think back to her actions tonight after coming here after dreaming of that girl. She could finally let the mortification set it.

She waited for it but it never came. She wasn't ashamed of what she had done. Maybe if he had reacted differently to her advances then she would feel that way but he had shocked her. She was feeling terrified earlier when she had slipped into his bed. She had needed to be close to him. And then she couldn't stop thinking about kissing him. So she had. What did she have to lose? Other than what pride she had managed to scrape together after leaving Ed. But he hadn't reacted badly. He had reacted ravenously.

She hesitantly reached out and drummed her fingertips against his back. "Are you excited about starting a new job?" She asked after the silence had gone on for a long time.

He shrugged.

"Are you excited that you get to see me on your lunch break?" She was hoping she could tease a smile out of him. It worked.

He turned his body so he could look at her without looking over his shoulder. He offered her a real smile. "I'm excited to get fed. Don't much matter who drives it in."

"You're so mean sometimes, you know that?" She narrowed her eyes and then yawned loudly.

He snorted. "And you're tryin' to get me to go to sleep?"

"I'm not afraid to admit that I'm sleepy."

"Sleep then." He muttered.

"Stay with me then." She whispered without thinking. If she wasn't careful she was going to scare him off.

He stared at her for so long that she actually started feeling uncomfortable. But then he smirked. "I can do that."

She was relieved not only because he stayed with her, but because the last forty five minutes he was able to stay in the bed before getting ready for work was spent kissing her. Ed wasn't much of a kisser. He never lavished her with attention. He never made her feel like he had ever really wanted her to begin with. This was a much different experience. Daryl made her feel like she was the only thing alive in the world.

He knew that his actions weren't going to get him anywhere. Not yet anyway, but that didn't make him any less intense and surprisingly sweet. Earlier he had been caught up in the moment, not really rough but definitely eager. Not that she minded a bit, but the way he was touching her now was slow and lazy and very unexpected. He watched her closely, which made her feel awkward at first, but then she found herself wanting him to look at her. Unable to look away from his gaze until he would start kissing her all over again. Her mouth, her jaw her neck. By the time the alarm started shrieking at them she had forgotten that there were things to do. Other people in the universe other than the two of them. Obligations. Damn it!

She sighed loudly when he reached across her and turned off the alarm. She didn't want him to leave but she knew he had too. She'd get to see him again soon. He reluctantly left the bed and she watched him go to the closet, in the dark, and yank out a shirt without even looking at it.

"So I get to see that dirty grumpy old man today?" She asked as he sat on the edge of the bed and laced up his work boots.

"Nah, I think it'll be a good day."

"I'll see you at noon. You want me to bring Merle with me? How are we going to keep him from getting a hold of more drugs?"

"I'll have the truck, you'll have the car. I got the keys to both bikes. Hide the phones before you leave. I don't think it will be that big of a deal until later. He's good for a while after what he got earlier."

She nodded and ran her fingers across her lips. "Oh, hold on." She jumped out of his bed and hurried back to her own room. She grabbed her cell phone and then met him in the hallway. It was much more bright out here and she couldn't help but stare at him for a few long seconds before she remembered what the hell she was doing. He was looking at her expectantly.

"Here." She handed him the phone. He looked at it with a frown.

"Why do I need this?" He asked with one eyebrow raised.

"So you can call me." She said with a grin, not expecting him to call her at all but feeling better that he would have a phone in case he needed one... or maybe _felt_ like calling her.

He shoved it in his pocket and smiled. "Alright."

She had time to make him coffee and something to eat, even though he kept insisting that he never ate breakfast and she was wasting time. When she asked him what else he had to do with the few minutes he had before he had to work all he did was grin wickedly and then wink at her. Even though he had put up a fight he scarfed down his food, reminding her fondly of Merle.

She followed him like a lost puppy all the way out to the porch. She really wished they had had more time. But he had to leave. She did get to kiss him again before he finally left for the day. She went back inside with a grin on her face. She couldn't believe they were actually doing this. She kept that smile until she made her way back up the stairs. He was right. She could really use a few more hours of sleep.

She went to her own room but then just stood there for a few minutes, chewing her lip. Shutting off the light she went across the hall and crawled back into Daryl's bed. She felt a little pathetic but she didn't care. The entire bed smelled like him and if she wanted to sleep in it then by hell she would. She buried her face in his pillow and closed her eyes. She was almost asleep when she heard the door open. She didn't open her eyes but she did smile broadly.

"You forget something?" She asked.

"You havin' fun?" Someone hissed from the door.

Carol froze for a second and then sat up and pushed her back against the headboard. Her heart stuttered and then started pounding so hard in her chest that it hurt. "Get out." She tried to sound strong but her voice was barely a whisper.

Ed. How had he gotten in? Why would he be so stupid to come here with the Dixons here? Dixons. She opened her mouth to scream for Merle but Ed was right there, gripping her by the upper arms and lifting her up. She felt the back of her head hit the wall and then her vision blurred. She could smell alcohol on his breath as it blew over her.

She tried once more to scream for Merle but he backhanded her across the face and that sent her head reeling again. He had her pinned to the wall with his body and no amount of pushing against his chest was budging him.

"You think I wouldn't be smart enough to wait for your little boyfriend to leave? I knew it wouldn't be long. Leaving you hear alone wasn't very smart." Ed growled.

He was crushing her against the wall, all the air leaving her lungs. She tried to suck in as much air as she could before it was too late. And it would be soon. He was drunk and he was surely angry enough to kill her for everything that had happened. He must not have known that both brothers were staying with her now.

"Merle!" She managed and she hoped it was loud enough for him to hear. She had no idea if the drugs would put him completely out. If they did she would die.

"You can't even keep their names straight bitch." Ed growled. "Daryl's the one you were fuckin' last night, remember? And he's gone."

He drew back to hit her once more, this time with his fist, when the door was kicked open. Ed dropped her instantly, spinning around and stepping away to glare at whoever interrupted him. The room was suddenly filled with light and there stood Merle Dixon. Her legs were too weak to keep herself standing. She slid to the floor and pulled her knees up to her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Merle took one look at her and his face transformed. She suddenly found herself afraid of him. She had never seen such evil on any man she had ever looked at, including Ed.

His eyes flashed back to Ed. He was still shirtless and the heavy muscles in his chest flexed. Ed stumbled backwards, nearly stepping on her as Merle advanced. Or this thing that looked like Merle. This wasn't the Merle that she knew.

"You mother fucker," He roared and then Ed was no longer standing in front of her. He was flying through the air and slamming into the wall on the opposite side of the room. He hit the floor and was barely able to scramble back up onto his knees before Merle had him by the shirt, yanking him up off the floor. He slammed him into the wall once more. Ed looked dazed.

"Hit me." Merle growled into his face. "I said, hit _me_. Not her. You hit a man."

Carol let out a whimper when Ed actually did draw back and hit Merle in the face. Not that she had to worry about Merle at all. He just laughed right in Ed's face and then hit him. Ed stumbled backwards and then fell into the bed. She kept her knees pulled up to make as small a target of herself as possible. She wasn't sure if Ed had armed himself with anything. Surely he had since he had been threatened, now by all three Dixon's. He couldn't have been stupid enough to come here unarmed. If she got Merle killed she would never forgive herself.

Merle picked Ed up one more time but the other man was like a limp rag. But Merle was ruthless. He didn't stop hitting him.

"I'll kill the bitch. You wait." Ed spit between busted lips.

Merle's face became even more enraged. The look in his eyes was murderous. She stood up then and was about to scream for him to stop but it was too late. With one large hand to the back of Ed's head he slammed the other man's face into the wall as hard as he could. Merle wasn't your typical drug addict. The drugs had an effect on his mind without the deteriorating effects on his body. He was a big man. He was strong. Add blind rage on top of that strength and you got a man that was capable of causing a lot of damage.

She heard a wet popping sound and then a sickening crunch. She covered her ears, even though there wasn't anymore sound other than Merle's heavy breathing. Ed crumpled to the floor. Thankfully he lay in such a way that she was unable to see his face. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was dead. Merle was standing with his back to her, looking down on Ed like he was waiting for him to get back up and fight some more.

She was frozen to the spot. This was worse than last night. This was much worse. This was not some random person lying dead on the pavement. This was someone she knew. She hated him. She had secretly wished death on this man hundreds of times. The world was a better place, and she was better off, with him gone. She felt almost nothing for him. But Merle. What was going to happen to Merle? She had let her guard down and she had misjudged the lengths that Ed would go to to torment her. She was sure that he had come to kill her in his drunken stupor and Merle had saved her from that fate but now he was going to pay for it. Her mind instantly wandered to the dead girl. Could he really have lost his mind completely? Could he have been the one to kill the girl?

It wasn't going to matter to the people in this town that Merle did what he did because he was protecting her. That Dixon stigma would raise it's ugly head and he wouldn't stand a chance. Because of her, Merle was doomed. She couldn't help the choked sob that escaped her throat.

Merle spun around and scanned the room before his eyes settled on her. They were still feverish, like his anger wasn't yet spent regardless of the fact that there was a dead man on the floor. They stared at each other for what seemed an eternity and then finally he took a step towards her. She stayed where she was. She should have been terrified of him at the moment. She should have ran screaming from the room. He'd killed a man. Killed him right in front of her. But she wasn't afraid.

He took a few tentative steps towards her and when he was sure she wasn't going to run from him he closed the distance in a few long strides. His knuckles were bloodied but she didn't flinch away from him when he reached up and drug one rough thumb from the corner of her mouth to her chin. The thumb came away wet with her own blood. She had forgotten that Ed had even hit her.

"What are we gonna do, Merle?" She hated the childlike quality of her own voice.

"Depends on you, darlin'. Do you think you need to call up Shane?" He said in a voice so gentle that, for some reason, it nearly broke her heart.

She thought about that for a few seconds. If she called them, there was no chance in the world that Merle wouldn't get charged with murder. He was a loose cannon and he was hated by nearly everyone in the town. She had to do something. Anything. For reason she could not explain, she had this strange urge to protect him. It was almost a maternal feeling. She had to keep him safe no matter what. She didn't understand why she was feeling this way but she was.

"You'll go to prison Merle." She cried.

He nodded. "It was worth it. It was time to get rid of his ass for good." Merle said bluntly.

She sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, her back to Ed.

"Buck." Merle muttered. "We need Buck. If you ain't gonna call the law then we need to get him over here. He'll know what to do."

"What about Daryl?" She asked meekly.

Merle shook his head. "No. Not right now."

She stared up at him, tears threatening to over spill. "Merle, you killed somebody. And you did it for me."

He reached down and gently grasped her chin, tilting her head up and then to the side, checking her face.

"This isn't too bad. A little bruisin' but you can bet your ass my brother will notice. Little bastard notices everything. We'll tell him about it later, alright?"

She nodded and then he dropped her face and left the room. She scrambled after him, refusing to be left alone with Ed, even if he was dead.

He made a quick call and then the two of them sat at the island in silence and drank coffee. Maybe too much coffee since she was already a nervous ball of energy. They were never going to be able to pull this off. Ever. People didn't get away with this kind of thing. This was the kind of thing that you saw in movies and in the end the murderers and all of their accomplices got carted off to jail. People didn't get away with things like this.

When Buck showed up he came to the back door. His knock was soft but Carol nearly fell off her stool anyway. Merle caught her and then they hurried to the door. Carol would never get over the overpowering presence of Buck Dixon. He looked down at her and done the same thing that Merle had done. He lifted her chin and tilted her face towards the light.

"Daryl's gonna notice this. Son of a bitch." He muttered as he let go of her face. "Ain't no keepin' him in the dark about this one." He studied her face and then the corner of his mouth turned up. "You ain't hyperventilatin' or throwin' a screamin' fit, but that don't mean much. You alright, darlin'?"

She nodded but she could tell that her eyes were bugging out of her head.

"Good girl." He patted the side of her face and then glanced around. "Well, boy. Lets get that mother fucker outta here before the sun comes up."

"The fuck we gonna do with him once we get him outta the house?" Merle asked, like they were talking about taking out the trash instead of disposing of a body.

Buck rubbed his chin and looked at Merle thoughtfully. "Hog farm." He muttered and then looked back down at her. "You got a tarp or somethin' we can use?"

Jesus Christ. Was she really hearing this? How could he be so calm about this? How could she be so calm about this? Before she could find her voice Merle answered for her.

"I'll get it." He said glumly as he headed for the back door. "Hogs. I shoulda fuckin' known." He shook his head and was gone.

"Is that all Ed did, darlin'? Hit ya?" He asked once Merle was gone.

She nodded.

"Why didn't ya just call the law?" He asked.

"No. they wouldn't listen to me or Merle. They would use this as a reason to put him away. That isn't going to happen. Not because of me. Merle did this protecting me. If he hadn't then I wouldn't be here right now and I owe him for that."

Buck gave her another one of those rare half smiles. "Somethin' tells me that you wouldn't have called them even if Merle woulda dragged the slimy bastard in off the street and killed him for no good reason."

"And somethin' tells me that you're right." She mumbled. She kept the trembling out of her voice but her hands were still shaking as Merle came back inside, still grumbling about hogs. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what that meant.


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter is a bit shorter but I have been so very busy this weekend that this is all I got. It's more of a filler. I hate those but they are important too. I wanted to thank everyone for the reviews for the last chapter. I was pleasantly surprised! Several people have mentioned a certain bromance from my last story so I have decided to bring it back for this one. It should cause a little controversy anyway. I hope this chapter isn't a complete disappointment! Thank you for reading and reviewing! Have a great morning!**

Chapter Fourteen

Daryl wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. The sun was beating down on his back but he barely noticed the heat anymore. He couldn't keep his mind on his work. He'd smashed his thumb twice now trying to hang the heavy shingles. This definitely wasn't the time or place for daydreaming. It didn't seem to matter at all how many times he told himself that though.

The roof he was working on was steep but he was able to keep enough focus to at least not walk right off the edge of it, or lose his footing and topple off. That was a small miracle in itself because his head was definitely still in that dark bedroom.

"Mother fucker!" He yelled as his thumb took another blow from the hammer.

"Man, Dixon. Rumor has it that you're suppose to be some sort of no nonsense work horse. Looks to me like you're a bit of a clutz."

Daryl looked up at the black man a few feet away from him. He couldn't remember his name but he liked him pretty well. He didn't know anything about Daryl and that was usually all Daryl could hope for when he met someone new. "If that's the only rumor you heard about me then I'll consider it my lucky day." He muttered dryly. "I'm rusty. What can I say?"

He tried to focus after that. Idle chit chat helped. It was hard to think about Carol and beds while he was trying to keep up with this man's ramblings. The guy was pretty funny, Daryl had to give him that. He had all sorts of stories involving the sister of another man that worked on their crew. Apparently the other guy hadn't wanted his sister dating some lowly carpenter, so they had kept it all a secret until recently. It had all come to a head and now that Daryl knew what to look for he could just make out the nearly healed black eye on the man's face.

"You got yourself a girl?" The man asked.

Daryl was about to shake his head, but then he hesitated. What the hell did he have? He didn't even know. "Somethin' like that, maybe." He said with a shrug.

Just then they heard the sound of an engine coming up the access road.

The man craned his neck to see what was making such a beautiful sound. Daryl couldn't help but grin. He knew the sound.

"Oh, Lord, would you look at that." The man mumbled. "Just in time too." he glanced at his watch. "Lunch time, Dixon." He grinned.

They made there way down just in time to see Carol climb out of the car and about five men making their way towards her. She smiled as soon as she spotted him but there was something off about it. He noticed right away. He hoped that Merle hadn't caused her any problems. The other men stopped at a respectful distance, just close enough to admire the car. Goddamn he loved that fucking car.

He kept walking past the men and then once he got a few feet away she smiled even wider, this time a real one, and shoved a plastic sack at him. "Lunch."

He closed the distance and took the bag. "What the fuck did you do? Pack the whole refrigerator?"

She shrugged. "I didn't know how hungry you would be."

He rolled his eyes and then used the shirt he still had clutched in his hand to mop at the sweat on his face.

Her eyes shifted and then her smile brightened as she stuck out her hand. "Hi." She beamed.

Daryl hadn't realized that the guy had followed him all the way over to the car. He grinned and shook Carol's hand. "I'm T-dog, and that's one hell of a ride you got yourself there little lady."

"Carol, and thank you."

Daryl watched as she looked past them and then waved at the others that were gathered about twenty feet away. He didn't know how she did that. There was something about her that was too kind. Too friendly. It was a stark contrast to his cool and suspicious demeanor. He looked over his shoulder as the men waved back.

"So, T-dog, could you give us a minute. I promise, the car isn't going anywhere any time soon."

"Oh, yeah, sure." he muttered and then gave Daryl a wink as he passed him.

He looked her over once they were alone. She was wearing make up, which was strange to him. Not that he had known her long enough to know whether or not she wore it often but he had never seen her wear it until now. And then he noticed it. A slight discoloration on the left side of her face.

He took one more step so he could really look at her, nearly pinning her against the drivers side door and then tilting her face up so he could see her better. "What the fuck happened?" He growled. He knew that Merle would never touch her. But somebody had. This wasn't the kind of bruise you got by running into something. This was the kind of bruise you got at the hands of somebody else.

"Something has happened." She whispered and her voice was so low he had to put his face closer to hers to even hear her. "Something bad."

"Is my brother alright?" He asked, feeling a sinking sensation in his stomach.

She nodded. "He's fine. He's doing really good so far."

"What the hell happened?" He asked again, panic starting to win out over the sudden dread he felt.

"After you left this morning." She glanced around to make sure they were still alone. "Ed came. I was so stupid. I forgot to lock the door after you left this morning and when he saw you leave he thought I was alone in the house." She whispered.

He clenched his teeth and before his hands could ball up into fists at his sides she grabbed them and twined her fingers through his.

"I...I screamed for Merle before he could really do anything. I shouldn't have..."

He knew. In his gut he knew exactly what had happened without her having to say anything else. He dropped his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. Merle was probably sitting in a jail cell right now. He would definitely end up with murder charges now. He wouldn't be able to squirm his way out of it the way Buck had when he had killed Ed's daddy. All the hope he had been secretly harboring was all for nothing now. He had been so sure that as long as they had Carol then he could really get better. They could have a real shot at a decent life. All of that was shattered. "Merle killed him." He whispered

She let go of his hands and then he felt them on the sides of his neck. "I'm so sorry. But we handled it, okay. Everything's been taken care of."

He opened his eyes and pulled his head away from hers. That sinking feeling in his stomach intensifying. No. She was smarter than that. Surely... "What did you two do?" He whispered, unable to hide the desperation in his voice.

"Ed was going to kill me. He said as much and he was drunk. Merle didn't mean to do it and you know that if we called the police he would have went to jail. It wouldn't matter to them what Ed had done. I couldn't let that happen. Merle has a real chance and that isn't going to all get thrown away because of me"

Daryl thought he was going to be sick. "And you thought it would be better to do something stupid and end up getting yourself arrested too? You two can't pull this off. What the fuck, Carol?" He was having trouble keeping his voice down but he managed. "You're smarter than that." It would be hard if his brother ended up in prison, but he had been expecting that for years. But both of them? If he didn't have her then he didn't have anything. This stark realization had his head spinning.

"Buck took care of it." She whispered, gripping the sides of his neck even harder so he wouldn't be able to pull away. "We cleaned it all up. Everything's fine, okay."

"Buck? Are you fuckin' serious? Jesus, what the hell is wrong with you two? You called Buck?"

"Of course not..." She scoffed. "Merle did."

He rolled his eyes and put his hands on her hips, leaning in close again. "What did they do with him?" He asked, still feeling sick but for some reason feeling a little bit better knowing that Buck was involved. If anything, Buck was one smart man when it came to any kind of criminal activity. Carol and Merle would have fucked the whole thing up for sure but Buck could probably clean up the mess. It was about damn time the bastard cleaned up a mess he hadn't made himself.

"I'm not sure. Merle kept talking about hogs. He didn't seem very happy but he went along with it. I didn't help with that part."

"Oh God." He breathed. So it was true. He didn't want to believe it. Buck had gotten on a real bad drunk one time and started telling about this hog farm on the outskirts of town that some reclusive distant cousin ran. Buck had told him that if you wanted to get rid of a body there wasn't nothing better than hogs. Cut a man into chunks and the hogs would chow down, bones and all.

"So, is this her?"

Daryl turned. His boss was standing there a few feet away, smiling kindly. All Daryl could manage was a nod. Carol, on the other hand, snapped right back into her role as the friendly girl that had introduced herself to T-dog.

She let go of him and stepped around. She introduced herself and then offered him food. What was with her and food? Daryl shook his head and watched her as she charmed the man. How could she be so calm and chipper when just a while ago she was disposing of the body of the man that, at one time, she thought she loved enough to marry? He was having a hard time trying to look normal himself. Such a hard time, in fact, that when Morgan looked up at him the smile on his face turned into a frown.

"Daryl, are you feeling okay? You look a little pale, son." He said, genuine concern lacing his words.

Daryl just nodded. "I'm fine." He muttered.

Morgan looked skeptical but his attention was once more on Carol. "You go ahead and feed your man, now. I'll get this paperwork together."

"Yes, sir." She smiled.

When he was gone she dropped the smile and watched him warily. "Eat." She demanded.

"I ain't hungry." He muttered. And it was true. He should have known something like this was going to happen. Him and Merle wasn't suppose to have it easy. He knew a part of him knew he was just feeling sorry for himself. But that wasn't all it was. Now Carol was sucked into their fucked up world. She wanted to make things better for them and instead of that, all she managed to do was ruin any chance she had at having a normal life. And he could have been the one to stop that. But he hadn't. He had let her talk him into moving him and his brother into her house and with them came total fucking chaos. If he had stayed away from her from the get go then Ed wouldn't have had a reason to come for her this morning and his brother wouldn't have had a reason to kill the son of a bitch.

"Stop it." She growled, putting her hands on her hips.

"Stop what?" He muttered and he could hear the defeat in his own voice.

"Stop blaming your fool self for every stupid thing that happens. This is on me and your brother, not you. I was stupid for underestimating Ed and Merle was stupid enough to not stop at just beating the crap out of him. This has _nothing_ to do with you."

"Don't it?" He sighed and then leaned against the car, feeling drained.

She stormed right up to him until their bodies nearly touched. "No."

He looked at her for a long time, searching her face for any sign of blame. There was nothing. But he knew that in the end, Merle was his responsibility. His burden to bear. Not hers. He should have seen something like this coming. Merle was nothing like Buck in some ways but then in others he was Buck made over. And Daryl had failed to think of that fact when he had moved them into her house.

"I said stop." She said again, eyes narrowed.

"Why the hell ain't you freakin' out?" He found himself ready to yell at her. This girl was fucking crazy. She had been scared stupid last night after finding that body and here she was, standing there with her hands on her hips and glaring at him for no being completely fine with the fact that his brother had murdered a man in her house. She was nuts. She was completely unhinged!

"I did." She said simply.

"Carol, you don't understand..."

"I do. And Buck took care of everything and I trust him." She lifted her chin and her eyes hardened. "I know what kind of man he is but I also know that he does love you and Merle and he would go down for it himself before either of you even got accused of it."

"Don't." He growled. "Don't you fuckin' stand there and tell me you know Buck. That mother fucker has done shit that would make you puke. You don't know him. Buck Dixon loves his goddamn self and that is it. Don't try to read more into him than whats there. If you do then your stupid."

"You're a real stubborn asshole, you know that?" She glared and then poked him in the chest like she had done the other day when she was trying to bully him into moving in with her.

"Well, you're a gullible, bossy asshole." He snapped as he scowled down at her. "And you're like a gullible little kid. Ain't you learned by now to stop fuckin' trustin' people? Jesus, Carol!"

"What is that suppose to mean?"

He shook his head. Why the hell was she always cornering him? He had no where to go. The car was behind him and she was in front of him and he was stuck once more.

She poked him again and he grabbed her hand roughly. "Quit it."

"Screw you." She was returning his scowl. "Just stop thinking the worst. You act like we're all doomed or something."

"And you're actin' like everything is gonna be okay. It ain't. How many people saw me and Ed the other day? How many people heard what Buck said to him? How many people would just guess that maybe we all had somethin' to do with it once it becomes common knowledge that Ed ain't no where to be found? Everybody knows what he did to you. And everybody knows that now, me and Merle are like your fuckin' personal bodyguards? This is gonna go to shit quick, girl. The sooner you see that the better off you'll be. We're all fucked."

"You weren't even home." She reached up and pushed his sweaty hair back from his forehead. "Just give us a chance, okay. We can fix this." She had lost all her fight. Now she was trying something different.

He blew out a heavy breath and peered down at her, his eyes still narrowed but he felt himself relax slightly. He noticed then that there was a small cut on the corner of her mouth and then realized that he hadn't even asked her what all Ed had done to her before she was able to scream for help. "What did Ed do? Before Merle came?" He whispered.

She just shook her head, the corners of her mouth turning up. "He just hit me once. He slammed me into the wall so I might have a bruise or two on my back. Nothing I can't handle."

He huffed and lost even more steam. How the hell could he be so pissed off at Merle for doing something that he knew he would have done himself. He wasn't like Merle and Buck but he knew that he would be able to kill Ed Peletier. Especially if he saw the man putting his hands on her.

She saw the change in his face and she gave him a real smile. "That's better." She muttered, keeping a watchful eye on his face as she closed the distance and pressed herself right up against him.

He rolled his eyes but couldn't help but enjoy the feel of her there. "You're gonna end up stinkin' like me. You're getting all sweaty."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Oh, you don't stink. You smell..." Her face reddened, "Sexy."

He couldn't hold in his laugh. "You're a freak." She was a freak? Was he seriously laughing at her after the news she had just given him? They were both freaks.

She shook her head, eyes growing wide and serious. "No, really."

"Shut up." he didn't give her a chance to say anything else. He crushed her lips with his own, reveling in the small gasp that escaped her before she fell into what now felt like familiar territory, even though it was relatively new to them both. He didn't want to get her dirty so he just placed his hands on her hips but she was already wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself even more firmly against him.

When she pulled her head back she gave him a serious look. "We are going to be fine, okay." She said firmly.

"You say that a lot, you know that?" He said with a small shake of his head.

"I mean it a lot." She muttered as she brought his mouth back down to hers.

That was how he spent the rest of his lunch break. It was easy to forget about things when he was with her. Or at least when her tongue was in his mouth. But all too soon, the break was over and he had to get his ass back on the roof with T-dog while she went to the trailer where Morgan was waiting to go over things with her.

T-dog kept grinning at him every time he looked over. He finally got sick of it. "The hell you keep grinning at me like an idiot for?" He asked right before he started working on the shingles again.

He shook his head and kept grinning. "You are one lucky son of a bitch, you know that?"

Daryl squinted at him. "How's that?"

The other man shrugged. "That's one fine ass ride you got there."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Car buff, huh?"

T-dog's grin widened. "Oh, yeah. The cars pretty nice too."

Daryl looked back towards the man and scowled. "I got a feelin' this is gonna be a pretty interestin' job." He muttered as he started hammering once more, careful not to smash his thumb again.

Well, it would be if he could manage to keep his ass out of prison for accessory, anyway.


	15. Chapter 15

**I am going to go ahead and apologize for the massive amount of mess ups you may find in this chapter. I am going on no sleep so I probably missed a bunch! Glad you guys liked the return of T-dog. I miss him in the show and I love the dynamic between him and Daryl. At least in my crazy head anyway ;) Hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as you have the others so far! Thank you for the support and the feedback and the requests! You are all so great! To you guests that review on a regular basis, thank you! I would do it personally and not right here but I can't! Have a great morning folks! It's goodnight time for this chick!**

Chapter Fifteen

Carol was able to leave earlier than Daryl. Tomorrow she would be allowed to come in when he did if she wanted too. And she really did want too but she was nervous about Merle being left alone so long. Last night was just the start of a long ugly road to recovery for him. He was probably in bad shape already. Tonight they were lowering the dose. Just by a little. Daryl already told her that if they did it too fast he would get too sick and then they would have to just start all over. Merle had only so much self control.

She hadn't told him goodbye because he was on a roof and there was no way she was going to climb up a ladder that tall. No way in hell. So instead of telling him goodbye she took off in his truck, leaving the keys to her car with their boss. He'd get to drive it and that would probably put him in a better mood. She hadn't ever thought much about that car when she first found out it had been left to her but she was really thankful for it now.

She had to admit that she was happy about the way he had handled the news. She had expected him to have a complete fit but he hadn't. Probably because there were too many witnesses. She was sure that as soon as he got home the shit would definitely hit the fan. She felt so bad for causing him more stress than he already had. He had seemed to be calming down some. He was getting more and more comfortable at the house. They were getting a routine down that was becoming familiar and seemed to be something that they all three enjoyed. Even when it was just sitting in front of the television after dinner or going out to the garage to watch them piddle around.

She thought it was funny how, every time they came into the stupid garage, their eyes lit up like they were kids that just got free passes to Disney Land. She was happy when they were happy. She knew that the stupid car wasn't going to make up for the things that were surely weighing on his mind now. Now he was afraid for Merle and herself and really, if this all went badly, he could be accused of playing a role in it as well.

But Buck had assured her and Merle both that even if they did start looking their way for Ed's disappearance, there was nothing they could do to any of them without a body or any physical evidence. And he had also assured her that after they were done, there would definitely be no physical evidence left to worry about. She had left them in Daryl's room. She had no idea what they planned on doing.

It was already after five and she figured she needed to cook something or surely Merle would be ready to fall over. When she went inside, however, Merle wasn't anywhere in the house. Her heart sank. Surely he hadn't went out for more drugs. Daryl would be so upset. Like his day wasn't bad enough already.

She made her way out to the garage and couldn't help but sigh in relief as she opened the door and found him there. It looked like he was putting tools away but the car was gone so what could he have been working on?

"You just missed Buck." He mumbled as he turned away from the workbench. He didn't look too bad. A little sweaty, but that could have just been from the heat.

"How are you feeling?" She asked as she approached him wearily.

"Just fine." He said as he turned up a beer and flashed her that Merle Dixon smirk. After crushing his can he tossed her one as he grabbed another from the fridge.

She hadn't ever been a very big fan of beer. She figured that it must have been because she had associated beer with Ed. But since she had been spending more time with Merle she was learning to enjoy the taste of it. "Are you hungry?" She asked as she hopped up onto the workbench. It was becoming her designated garage spot.

"Nope." He mumbled.

"Have you eaten anything?"

He huffed and then leaned his back against the bench and side eyed her. He was trying to look intimidating. She raised her eyebrows at him and eyed him right back. He eventually just grinned at her and started picking at the hole in the knee of her jeans. His forearm lay flat against her thigh but it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Merle was no Daryl. Every time Daryl touched her she felt like a trap door had come open under her feet and she was falling. Everything he did seemed to be amplified to her. Even something as simple as their hands brushing sent an electric jolt through her, leaving her skin tingling.

But this? This felt familiar, somehow. This was a welcoming comfort to her. She didn't understand why and she didn't have too. It wasn't attraction, it was affection. "You gonna tell me how he took it or do I gotta stand here till he comes home?" He finally asked.

She chewed on her lip for a second before answering. "I guess he took it pretty well. He didn't scream and yell or anything."

"_You_ might once you get a good look at that room up there." He said as he turned his head to meet her eyes.

"What?" She growled. "What the hell could you have done to it? You already put a hole in the wall."

He shook his head. "I guess you just gotta see it. And remember that it wasn't me, it was Buck. He insisted on all this."

"Oh, Merle! What have you done?" She groaned.

He turned so he was standing in front of her and then grabbed her under the arms and lifted her off the bench. He sat her down on her feet and then grabbed her hand. "It ain't really bad. Took for fuckin' ever though. That old fucker made me work all goddamn day. I missed all my shows and everything." He grumbled as he led her to the house.

She didn't say anything until they reached the stairs and smelled it. Paint. "Merle Dixon, did you _paint_ the house while I was gone? Is that even something I should have to tell you not to do! Jesus!"

"Quit bitchin', woman! Didn't I already tell ya that this was Buck's idea? He said we had to do it. So we did it. I didn't think I had to ask permission if it would keep my ass out of prison, which Buck said it would."

When she got to the top of the stairs she groaned. Everything was in the hallway and stacked neatly against the wall. The nightstands, the dresser, the head board and foot board and mattress and box springs. All of it was pulled out of that room. She hesitated outside the closed bedroom door. She wasn't afraid of what Buck and Merle had done in there but she was afraid to see the inside of the room again. She didn't want to go back in there. She never wanted to go back into that room. Not after witnessing what happened in there. She stood there like that for a long time, staring at a closed door like an idiot.

"It really ain't that bad." Merle muttered.

"It's not that." She whispered as she stared at the doorknob.

She felt his hand at the small of her back. She found it odd that the same hand that had gripped the back of Ed's head and smashed his face into a wall with enough force to kill him was now touching her so gently that she barely even felt it there.

"Ain't nothin' in there that is gonna hurt ya, girl. No such thing as ghosts." He muttered.

"I sound like a real pussy, huh?" She tried to smile but it didn't feel quite right.

"Yeah. Ya kinda do." He laughed and then smacked her on the ass and walked ahead of her. He threw open the door and gestured inside.

She was actually surprised. They had painted the floor and the wall was repaired and repainted. It was a different color but it looked good. Almost like they had just felt like creating an accent wall. She hated that the hardwood floor was now white but it wasn't bad. She was kind of glad that her grandma wasn't there to see it though.

"We took out the section of floor that got messy and replaced it but the color didn't match so Buck said to hell with it and paint the whole thing. It ain't too bad." Merle said as he gazed at their handy work.

"Sounds like Buck." She muttered. "When can the stuff go back in?"

Merle grinned and then elbowed her. "Tomorrow."

She looked at him sharply. "Where the hell is Daryl going to sleep?"

His grin widened. "Where ya think?"

Carol glanced at her own door and then back up at Merle. She figured that he could sleep in her room but then she had to worry about what he would expect if he did. She wanted him. She couldn't stop thinking about him that way at all. When he had came strolling towards her today, just like she pictured him, shirtless and sweaty, she could hardly keep her hands off of him. But she wasn't ready for all of that. Not yet. She had way to much emotional baggage to let that happen.

"I guess with me." She muttered.

"What the fuck ya makin' that face for? Don't tell me he still ain't doin' it right. I spent a damn hour givin' him detailed instructions on how to get it done proper." Merle threw up his hands in exasperation.

She frowned. "Merle, what the hell are you talking about?" She asked as he pulled the door shut once more and then led her back down the stairs and out the back door.

"Well, I figured since you was in his room last night that the two of you was finally over your spat and he was able to do the shit I taught him to do. If the little shit woulda done it right you wouldn't be lookin' all sorts of stressed out about havin' him join you in your own room."

"Merle, are you trying to tell me that he would need to get advice from you?" She asked as they made their way back to the garage. She was really confused. They hadn't done much at all but he seemed to be more than capable all on his own. Why would he need advice from Merle? It almost made her laugh. She really couldn't picture Merle spending so much time on just kissing when there were so many other things they could do. But Daryl went about it like that was exactly what he wanted to do. And the way his hands moved over her was...

"You ain't gotta turn all red faced, girl. And hell yeah he needs advice from me. You went on a goddamn date just a few days after fuckin' him so I figure he wasn't at all up to your standards. I done told ya that he'd only improve with practice but now I'm startin' to think there ain't no hope for the boy."

"It isn't like that, Merle. We've never had sex before. And I'm sure, being your brother, he has had his share of practice." She said dryly as she took her regular spot up on the workbench as he grabbed them two more beers.

"Pfft. Are you serious? You're about the first girl he's ever talked too. That boy is as pure as snow if the two of you ain't went at it yet."

Carol frowned. His reluctance to tell her the exact number of women he had been with hadn't came off as suspicious to her at the time. But really, there was no possible way that a guy that looked like that, and kissed like that, had never been with his fair share of women. Maybe he just kept his own conquests to himself. He didn't seem like he was the type to brag. Unlike his big brother.

"Anyway, how ya holdin' up?" Merle asked, changing the subject quickly in that smooth way that he did when he started getting bored.

She just shrugged.

He wasn't going to let her off the hook that easy. She really was touched when she looked up and he was looking at her with eyes filled with concern. "Come on now. You watched a man die. I saw how shook up you was over findin' that girl. You gotta be even more shook up after watchin' someone die right in front of you. Somebody that you know."

She thought about that for a few long minutes before answering him. The truth was, she was still pretty upset over both instances, but the girl bothered her more than Ed did. Ed was going to kill her and she knew it. He could have been the one that had done that to that girl. He needed to be stopped and as long as he was breathing she never would have felt safe. Daryl and Merle could only do so much and they weren't able to always be with her. She was relieved he was gone. She just wished that she hadn't had to see it and she wished that Merle hadn't been the one to have to end the man. She felt guilt for these feelings but she couldn't deny the fact that they were there. "I really am fine, Merle. You didn't have a choice, really. You could have let him go but how long would he have waited before he tried again? He wasn't going to stop. He thought, for some reason, that he owned me. I was his and nothing was going to get in the way of that."

Merle didn't say anything else for a while. He stood next to her and drank his beer in silence. When he did finally say something he was very quiet. "I'm not sorry that I did what I did. But I am sorry that I did that right there, right where you could see it happen."

She laid her head on his shoulder. "I know you are Merle. You're a good man."

He chuckled and then shook his head. "And you're a crazy, girl. You know that?"

"I'm not crazy. You're a good man to me. That counts for somethin'."

"It's hard for a person to not be good to you, darlin'. You're one of them girls with stars in their eyes and shit. Ain't somethin' that men like me and my brother are used too. Makes men like him and me wanna be good. Or try a little bit anyway."

"You're sweet, Merle." She smiled.

He chuckled and shook his head once more.

~H~

Daryl was in love. Completely in love. He wasn't just in love with the outside either. The inside was even more perfect. This was the kind of car that changed the world. He grinned as he eased the car into the driveway.

"Man, you coulda cruised for a bit before droppin' me off. Damn." T-dog grumbled as he reached for the door handle. "It ain't every day that a man gets to ride in a car like this."

Daryl hadn't been able to believe it when Morgan tossed him the keys and told him that Carol had taken his truck. Surely the man was bullshitting him. But Morgan had just smiled and shook his head at Daryl's dumbstruck face. Meanwhile, T-dog had overheard what Morgan had said and then ran off and told his friend that he normally caught a ride with that he was catching a ride with the new guy.

Daryl hadn't minded when the other man had trotted up to him, huge grin plastered across his face, and said that he had no choice but to catch a ride with him, since his usual ride was already gone. He was at least honest about it. He had sent his ride home.

"Don't you need to stop at the store or somethin'?" He asked before he got out.

Daryl shook his head. "Next time I have it I'll give ya another ride though." he said.

"I guess I can live with that. I'll see ya in the mornin'." He reluctantly got out.

Daryl found himself not really wanting to go home now. Not because of the car but because of the fact that he wasn't sure what he was suppose to say to his brother. What Merle did was so unbelievably stupid. But then again, Ed really could have hurt Carol if he hadn't came in and done something to stop the man. But Merle hadn't had to go that far. Daryl was sure that by the time he had actually killed Ed he had been in pretty bad shape.

But he wasn't going to freak out on him. He wanted to. He wanted to beat the shit out of the damn idiot but Merle was under enough stress as it was and it wouldn't take much to set him off and have him doing everything he could to ease that tension. He would go on a fucking drug binge and then it would get ugly. Merle was real good at using just enough to get himself through the day but under the right circumstances he could get completely out of control.

He saw a few cop cars drive by and he had held his breath the until he couldn't see them in the rearview mirror anymore. Jesus, this was how he was going to feel all the time now. He was going to be even more paranoid than he had been before. It didn't take much for a cop to pull him over. Usually it took nothing at all.

When he pulled into the driveway he was half expecting the yard to be blocked off with crime scene tape and police swarming the place. But all was quiet. He drove the car all the way to the back and pulled into the garage. There they were, sitting on the goddamn workbench, drinking beer like everything was all right with the world. He couldn't help but shake his head. Merle was a bad influence on her.

"How was work, little brother?" Merle asked.

Daryl couldn't help but notice that Merle's forearm was sitting on Carol's thigh and his finger was nervously picking at the frays around a hole in her jeans. He sighed and shrugged. "It was work I guess." He grumbled.

He knew that Carol and Merle both were waiting on him to start on them by the way they were watching him. He wasn't going too. He wished he could. He wanted to scream at Merle for killing a man and then he wanted to scream at her for letting Merle keep his arm on her leg like that.

"Morgan said he was really impressed. He'd heard about you already." She said, looking much happier than she should.

He just nodded and then turned towards the door.

"You wanna beer?" Merle asked.

He shook his head and kept on walking. He would keep his mouth shut but he wasn't going to act like them. He wasn't going to pretend like everything was fine. It wasn't.

He heard someone following him and knew who it was just by the sound of her footsteps. She fell in step beside him.

"You wanna talk about it?" She asked.

He couldn't help but wonder how many beers she had had. "Ain't nothin' to say about it."

She hurried up the back porch steps and then turned, blocking his way. "You just going to pretend like everything is fine?" She cocked one eyebrow at him.

He narrowed his eyes at her but he didn't try to go past. "Ain't that what y'all have been doin'? Actin' like everything is fine?" He asked in a harsher tone than he had intended. Once he actually focused on her eyes he could tell that his words had stung.

She bit her lip and blew out a heavy breath before turning and, without another word to him, walked into the kitchen.

"Hey." He muttered but before he could say anything else she spun around and crossed her arms over her chest.

Uh oh.

"How am I _suppose _to act? How do you _want_ me to act, Daryl? You want me to scream and cry and pretend like a part of me isn't _relieved_ that the son of a bitch is dead? Would that wipe that scowl off your face?"

How could she always turn things around and make him feel like shit? He didn't want to fight with her. It never ended in his favor. But really, if she did cry about it then it wouldn't bother him. It would be normal. The way she was acting now wasn't normal. Not for someone like her. This was Merle's normal. He had no idea what he was suppose to say.

She spun back around and went to the refrigerator. She was pissed so now she was going to cook. Good. He was fucking starving since he had spent his whole lunch break making out with her. Not that he minded. He'd rather make out with her now that fight with her but he didn't figure he would get very far if he tried. Goddamn, all he had done was tried to keep his mouth shut. Sometimes she was crazy.

He growled and then made his way to the living room. He plopped down on his back and started channel surfing. He didn't even feel like watching anything but he wasn't going to sit at the damn counter and watch her be pissed off.

He was just about to doze off when someone knocked at the door.

"Daryl!" She yelled from the kitchen.

"I ain't deaf!" He yelled back as he stomped to the door. Just as he touched the knob he felt panic start to rise it's ugly head. What if it was the fucking cops? Would someone have already noticed Ed missing? Wasn't there a 24 hour wait before someone could file a missing persons report?

He took a deep breath and then opened the door before they could pound on it again.

"Damn, baby boy. I think it's the first time I ever saw you lookin' relieved to see me." Buck smirked. "You need to work on your poker face. You look like you did it yourself."

Daryl glared. "What do you want?" He asked.

Buck sighed and crossed his arms over is chest. "Why the fuck are you always tryin' my patience?" He asked. When Daryl didn't answer he just shrugged. "Your girl invited me."

Daryl opened the door wider and let him in.

"Hi, Buck!" Carol called from the kitchen. "Your son is a real asshole."

Daryl rolled his eyes and then flopped himself onto the couch again.

"She talkin' about you or your bother?" Buck asked as he sat in a chair a few feet away.

Daryl just shrugged. "Probably me since I'm the one that's worked all damn day and I'm the one that's gonna pay half the bills and I'm the one that ain't a fuckin' junkie." He grumbled.

"You're the one that comes home acting like a grouchy asshole." She snapped as she brought in two glasses, shoving one on his face. He sat up and took it. She smiled at Buck as she handed him his own.

Buck took the glass and grinned at her. He stood up and looked back and forth between them and then shook his head. "Thank ya, darlin'. I believe I'm gonna head out to the garage while the two of you rip each others throats out. Or clothes off. Whatever the fuck you plannin on doin'."

How the fuck did she have those two assholes wrapped around her finger?

"No clothes getting ripped off tonight, Buck." She muttered dryly.

Buck just chuckled and walked off.

He was going to have to fix this shit. He was always stuck fixing shit. She was turning into a spoiled fucking brat.

He sat the glass down on the table and then as she turned to storm off once more he grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her towards him roughly. She tried to twist out of her grip but it didn't quite work that way. She landed on top of him but her back was to his chest. He locked his arms around her waist and she tried to pry his hands loose but she couldn't.

Let me go." She hissed.

"Nope." he said calmly as she struggled on top of him.

"Damn it Daryl! I'm gonna... Oh..."

He realized a little too late that he had fucked up. He shouldn't have pulled her down like that. Before she could even finish her threat he caught her earlobe between his teeth and his hands slid down to her thighs.

She wasn't struggling to get up anymore so he let go of her earlobe and moved his lips down to her neck. He hadn't meant to start this, he had only meant to get her attention and smooth things over with her. Talk about backfiring on a man. She stayed very still except for the quick rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. He brought his hands back up and she didn't object when his fingers grazed across the soft skin at her sides, this gave him the courage to keep moving his hands up and under the thin material, his fingers gliding lightly over scars. He was sure she would push his hands away but she didn't. She let him go where he pleased as long as his mouth worked her sensitive skin.

When his hands felt the silky fabric of her bra he hesitated for just a second before he worked his hand under it. He remembered what Merle had said so he followed his advice. She arched her back slightly and he heard what almost sounded like a moan escape her.

Holy shit.

His free hand was pressed flat against her stomach but soon he felt her own small hand on top of his and she was guiding it down...

Oh God.

What had Merle said? Don't be too damn eager. There's certain things that need most of your attention. Fuck with her until she's squirming for it. Well she was definitely squirming already. And he hadn't even really done anything. He was suddenly filled with confidence. Who the fuck did she have to compare him too? Ed? He bit down on her skin gently which caused more squirming. He groaned and then his hand reached the button of her pants. He had them undone in no time, even with just one hand. His other hand was still very busy.

Okay, so that was done... now what? Since Merle had told him several times that slower was better at the beginning he didn't try to shove his hand down her pants, even though her own hand was urging his there. He felt more silk under that hand and finally he worked his way inside the jeans but above the underwear. He heard her take in a sharp breath.

"Daryl," She breathed and then the whole mood was shattered. Right before he could get any sort of, over the panties, exploring he froze when he heard the back door slam shut and his brother and Buck's loud obnoxious laughter.

Son of a bitch.

He removed one hand out of her pants and the other one from under her shirt and then sighed loudly. Instead of getting up and bolting before they could get caught she rolled over so she was facing him and basically attacked his mouth with her own.

He momentarily forgot all about his dad and brother. He grabbed a fist full of her hair to hold her head in place and he kissed her back almost violently. His heart was thrumming like a jackhammer as she met that violence with her own.

"Carol!" Merle yelled from the kitchen. "You gotta get your ass in here, girl! I don't know what to do with this shit you're burnin'!"

Daryl growled but let her up. There was always later. Unless they all went to prison for murder today. That was always a possibility. He watched her straighten her clothes back out and then run a hand through her hair. She glanced back at him and narrowed her eyes.

"That wasn't fair, Dixon. You fight dirty."

He just shrugged and then watched her walk away. He really hoped there was going to be a later.


	16. Chapter 16

**I have horrible news. The muse is dead. I have tried and retried to start chapter 17 but I have NOTHING! This doesn't happen to me very often and when it does it usually doesn't happen for long. But if you don't see a post tomorrow morning then don't worry, I have not been kidnapped or anything ;) I'm open to any suggestions if you have them. Any home remedies for writers block that you know of, then give me a holler. Maybe I just need a day to rest the old noggin. I'm sure that is it.**

**Anyway, I think you will like this chapter. It's lengthy and it has some Buck so that's always a plus. I also have to warn you that it also has smut so if you aren't a big fan of that then maybe you should skim over the last bit of it. I actually had a request. You know who you are and I hope I did you proud ;) I want to thank you again for all of the reviews! It is because of all your encouraging words that I am so absolutely bothered by this bump in the road. I deliver chapters as fast as I can because you all take time out of your day to not only read this story but to also review it! I hope you like this one and I hope you all have a great day! =)**

Chapter Sixteen

Carol chewed her food slowly as she looked from one Dixon to the other. There was so much testosterone at this table she was finding it slightly hard to swallow. She hadn't ever spent much time with men. Not men like this. Not men that were so damn confrontational. Ed's aggression was normally directed towards her. But not these men. They were constantly confronting each other. It was almost like it was the only way they knew how to communicate. It was their way of communicating. These men usually fascinated her but this evening they just made her nervous.

Daryl had been almost silent through most of the meal but she could tell he was having trouble. He wasn't going to place any blame on her when it came to what had happened with Ed but he wasn't as generous with his father or brother. Hell, she had been the one with her head so far in the clouds that she had left the damn door unlocked. And if he thought about it really hard, she was the one that had been stupid enough to marry the man to begin with! She wished he would blame her instead of glaring across the table at Merle.

She sat down her fork and glanced around for an excuse to leave the room for a second. She just needed a break from the tension. It was so thick she felt like she was ingesting some of it with every bite of food she took.

"You guys need another beer?" She finally asked.

They all three looked at her at the same time and she almost laughed. The only time any of their faces softened at all was when they were looking at her. Even Buck, which surprised her. She wasn't sure what she had done to earn his approval but she was glad she had it. Merle and Daryl nodded.

"What bout you, Buck? Coke?"

He smirked and then nodded also. She left the table in a hurry. She figured that once she left the room they would all start in on one another. She shouldn't have been such a coward but she had needed an out. Not only because of the tension between the men either. There was a new tension between her and Daryl now as well. Not a bad tension really. It was just different somehow.

Not to mention how embarrassed she was every time she looked at him. She'd urged him on shamelessly there on the couch while she didn't have to look at him but then when she had to meet his level gaze at the table, with his family there, she felt her face flame and she had to look away. She had made the decision not to sleep with him and then as soon as he touched her it ruined every bit of resolve she had. She cringed at the thought of sex. Until she met him, that is. Now she was like a horny teenager.

She sighed as she clutched the drinks to her chest and then her heart jumped into her throat when she heard a knock at the door. She rushed to the dining room where all her Dixon's were glaring towards the foyer.

"Just keep yourself calm, girl." Buck muttered as she sat the drinks on the table and looked at him questioningly.

She nodded and then walked as calmly as she could towards the front door. She glanced back and all three of them had sat back down. She was trying to control her breathing, reminding herself that Buck had taken care of everything. She had faith in the man. If there were police outside her door then she would stay calm and answer their questions with well rehearsed lines.

She opened the door, ready to face down whoever was on the other side.

"Hi Carol." Milton Mamet smiled.

"Milton!" Carol beamed and opened up the screen door for him. "How are you?" She motioned him inside and led him to the living room. She really was glad to see him. He had been a really good friend to her since this whole Ed mess had started.

The men in the other room were momentarily forgotten, her relief that it was only Milton and not a swat team had her a little slow on the draw.

"I've been fine, thank you." He said as he sat down. "You look rather well, Carol."

"I feel well." She smiled as she sat on the edge of the chair across from him.

"I just received a phone call today. It seems that Ed was suppose to have a meeting with his attorney this afternoon but he never showed up for it and didn't call to cancel." He looked at her expectantly.

"Oh?" She hoped her face didn't belay the panic seizing her. Surely people weren't noticing him missing already. It hadn't been a full day! But why else would her attorney be here to tell her about this if there wasn't some problem?

"Yes." His smiled widened "He has been fighting this divorce so hard that I found this to be incredibly good news so I wanted to tell you in person. Normally I would have called but I wanted this to be a surprise. I hope I haven't interrupted anything."

"No, of course not. And this really is good news." She really was relieved to hear that this was why he had come here.

Milton looked sheepish for a second. "I am terribly sorry about what happened to you at Donavans. I felt horrible when Andrea told me. She was hoping to still get to see you around. She thought you were nice."

"You couldn't have known. You did me a favor, Milton. No harm done. I adore my new job anyway."

"You're already working somewhere else?" He asked, his eyebrows raising in surprise.

She nodded. "Yes. Keeping books for Jones and Son's Construction."

He mirrored her grin. "That really is fantastic."

"Who do we have here?" Merle asked from the doorway.

Carol watched as all of the color drained from Milton's face. She remembered then that he was one of the people that had warned her away from the Dixon's in the first place.

"Merle, this is Milton Mamet. Milton, Merle Dixon." Carol said as she gave Merle a look that she hoped told him to take it easy on the other man.

Merle sauntered over to the couch and sat down next to Milton.

"You ain't hear to try any shit on my woman now are ya?" Merle asked, narrowing his eyes.

Milton pushed his glasses up his nose and leaned away from Merle a bit before flashing Carol a panicked look. "I assure you that is not the reason I am here. I wasn't even aware Carol was seeing anyone."

Merle laughed and then slapped poor Milton on the back. "Calm down there, guy. I'm just fuckin' with ya. She ain't my girl. She's fu..."

"Merle!" Carol nearly shouted, causing Milton to jump a bit.

Merle held up his hands. "Alright, darlin'. I'm shuttin' up."

"Well."Milton was trying to recover and she had to give him credit, he was trying hard. "It's nice to meet you." He held out his hand and Merle stared at it for a second before taking it.

"You ain't gotta lie." Merle smirked.

Just when Milton seemed to be coming around from the shock of meeting Merle, Buck entered the room. He nodded at a wide eyed Milton.

"H-hello." Milton stammered.

Buck took a seat on the other side of Milton. Carol was pretty sure that this was the last time Milton Mamet would ever come visit her again.

"Milton Mamet, Buck Dixon." Carol said as she watched him. She felt like she needed to offer him some water or something. He was looking very pale now but if she left him alone she was afraid he may faint.

"Buck?" Milton nearly mouthed he said the name so softly.

Buck gave him another nod and then settled into the cushion like he planned on making this a long visit.

Daryl, of course, was next. She made introductions once more and then was annoyed even more at Merle when he turned on the television and then turned it up.

"Hell yeah!" He yelled. "My show's On!"

"Oh, Jesus. Milton, would you like to sit outside?" She asked as she shot Merle an exasperated look. He only glanced at her and winked.

"Sure." Milton said as he stood up quickly.

Her arm brushed against Daryl's as she walked by and she couldn't help but pause and look at him. The corner of his mouth turned up and then he took her spot in the chair. She followed Milton out, suddenly wishing that it was only her and Daryl there as she remembered, once more, that heated moment on the couch.

The sun was setting and the cicadas were singing loudly in the humid air. This was probably her favorite time of day. Milton turned to face her quickly, his eyes darting to the closed door and then back to her. "Carol, that was Buck Dixon in your house." He hissed, gripping the tops of her arms almost tightly. He looked scared to death.

She took a deep breath and nodded, reminding herself that Milton had been the first person she had really befriended after leaving Ed and she had no right, yet, to give him hell. "Yes, it was Buck."

"And that was Merle and Daryl. In your house!" He seemed so upset.

"That was Merle and Daryl in _our _house, Milton. They live here now." She crossed her arms over her chest once he dropped his own.

"Carol, you don't understand... Those men are..."

"Don't." She growled. "Don't you dare stand on my porch and say one negative thing about either of them. You people, every one of you, should be ashamed of yourselves. This small minded, senseless, judgmental bullshit stops as soon as you hit my property. I wont stand for it. Say what you want in your own home or on the sidewalks in town. Gossip until every one of you are blue in the face, but not here and not in front of me." She didn't blame Milton for looking at her in shock. She was shocked herself. But it was all true.

"I didn't mean to upset you." He said quietly. "I'm just concerned. I know I am your attorney but I would also consider you a friend."

Carol let the scowl on her face fade away. "Milton, you are my friend. But so are they. I just want people to respect that."

"Are you?" He cleared his throat. "Are you _with_ one of them?"

She thought about that for a few seconds longer than she should have, causing him to look even more upset. "It's complicated."

"Which one?" He said worriedly. "Not that you have to tell me, I just can't help but be curious."

"Which one what? Which one am I being complicated with?" She almost laughed.

He had the decency to look embarrassed and he smiled a little before shaking his head. "I apologize. It is none of my business. Just please be careful."

She sighed and shook her head. "I know you're just worried, Milton. But there really is no reason to be."

He nodded. "Well, I'll let you get back inside. I'll keep you updated on the Ed situation."

"Thanks for stopping by." She gave him a smile before hurrying back inside.

When she made her way back to the living room they were all in the same positions she left them in. She sat down heavily between Merle and Buck. She was nearly right up against Buck because she was actually mad at Merle. He always had to come off as such a jerk. He knew how nervous Milton had been and he just had to make things worse by acting like a giant child.

She scowled down at him when he actually turned his body and dropped his head in her lap, draping his long legs over the arm of the couch.

"Get off me you ass. You did that on purpose." She grumbled as she shoved at the top of his head. "You knew how nervous Milton was."

He just grinned and refused to budge. She scowled. "I don't know what your talkin' about." He said, never taking his eyes off the show he was watching.

"Merle, leave her alone." Buck grumbled.

"I ain't doin' nothin'."

Buck just shook his head.

Eventually Merle removed his head from her lap and wondered out to the garage. Buck decided to leave shortly after that and then it was just the two of them. It felt like her stomach had dropped to her feet. She was the first to say anything.

"Guess I'm going to take a shower and get ready for bed." She muttered as she stood up.

He glanced up at her and nodded. His eyes went back to the T.V.. She almost smiled when he started chewing his thumb nail. They were both a complete mess. She had been nervous last night but not like she was now. What the hell had changed? Giving him one last glance she took off up the stairs. They hadn't talked about where he was going to sleep and she didn't want to bring it up in case it made her look too eager to get him in her bed. She figured he would just assume and then come up when he was ready.

But then again, he wouldn't want to look too pushy. She worried herself to death while she was in the shower. She had been in such a hurry that she hadn't even grabbed herself any clothes. She almost wished Merle would make one of his frequent appearances. He did it all the time but she didn't even think he was in the house.

When she was done she wrapped a towel around her and then hurried to her room. It isn't like he hadn't already seen a lot of her, but that wasn't the point. She had been drunk then so that was her excuse.

She hurriedly shimmied on the first pair of underwear she grabbed out of her top drawer and was about to remove the towel when the door opened and Daryl walked in. She froze at the same time he did. Even from at least six feet away she could see him swallow hard.

"I wasn't sure what I was suppose to do since my rooms all fucked up. I was just gonna ask..." His voice trailed off like he had forgotten what he was even talking about.

"I thought that maybe since..." Now she knew how he felt. Her mind was drawing a bit of a blank.

They stared at each other for a few more seconds and then she finally looked away, but her eyes trailed straight to the bed so she looked at him again.

"You want me to sleep in here?" He finally asked.

Why did he have to word it that way? Why couldn't he have asked her if he _could _sleep here and not if she _wanted _him too? Of course she wanted him too but she was afraid. What the hell was there to be afraid of though? She had no idea. It was obvious they wanted each other. She just wasn't sure how to go about it. She wasn't used to men like him. She wasn't used to feeling like this. The anticipation had her hands trembling slightly because deep down she knew, if he got into that bed with her, a lot more was going to happen than just sleep. He sensed that too. She could tell by the way his eyes flicked around the room nervously. But one of them had to say something.

"It would make more sense than you sleeping on the couch. You know, in case Merle needed you. You would be a lot closer." She added, just so she would feel better about suggesting it.

He nodded and then to her surprise he almost closed the distance between them. The tension in the room was ridiculous. It was a different kind of tension than what had filled the dining room during dinner but it was thick between them all the same. Her heart started pounding hard and fast in her chest and she was sure her eyes were too wide but she couldn't do anything about it.

She figured she knew what her own problem was. Her first time had been with Ed, on their wedding night, and it was the first time he had really scared her. He had been extremely rough with her and had seemed to enjoy the fact that she was in pain. Every time after that had been about the same. He was a very callous man when it came to anything as intimate as that. And then he started making it a point to not only hurt her but also ridicule her and humiliate her as well. And this was where that nervousness stemmed from. She was pretty sure that she wasn't any good at it. He'd know she wasn't any good at it and then what? Hell she didn't like it at all. If not for that small voice in her head reminding her of how he had touched her before, she wouldn't even consider it.

Although she didn't think she would ever understand why everyone else seemed to think that sex was this amazing, pleasurable thing, she did somehow understand the allure of it. Or she did now, anyway. Everything he did made her think about it and it had been that way since the first day she had met him. It was confusing but it was there. She had not one doubt in her mind that he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. She knew that but she still found it hard to fight that fear back. Just swallow it down and let herself enjoy him.

She hadn't realized she was looking down until she felt his finger under her chin. He lifted her face. His was only inches away. He was frowning. "You alright?"

His face was almost in shadows since the only light she had turned on was the small one on the table next to the door but she could see that he looked concerned. She was beginning to feel extremely idiotic. The hand that had lifted her chin up was still there. He traced her jawbone with his fingertips, so slowly that goosebumps broke out over her skin. He didn't stop there either. He let the tops of his fingers slide slowly down her neck and then over her shoulder, his eyes following the trail that his fingers made, across her collar bone and then back up. When his eyes met hers again she felt like the intensity of that blazing blue gaze was pinning her in place.

"I asked if you was alright." he whispered, bringing his face even closer to hers as his hand slip under her wet hair and gripped the back of her neck gently.

"I'm fine." She breathed. Good god, where was her voice?

"Carol, I can sleep on the couch if ya want. Just cause we... do what we do, it don't mean we gotta do anything else."

Jesus, he was perfect. How in the world did no one else see that? She stopped thinking about it then. She trusted him. There was no way he would hurt her. There was no way she had to worry about him saying anything cruel. She placed her hands on each side of his face and pulled him closer. He kissed her softly and then pulled his face back.

"I'm gonna go ahead and go, okay?" He said quietly.

She realized then that she hadn't said a word to him since he had approached her. She had stood there like a dumb mute because she was too damn insecure to reach out and grab what she wanted. And even though she was scared, she wanted _him._

"I want you. I mean, I want you to stay." She shook her head. "I don't want you to go."

He kept his eyes on her and then started to chew his thumb nail once more but she pulled it away and then crushed his mouth with hers. She had forgotten that all she had on was a towel until she felt his hands on her thighs but as that kiss deepened she no longer cared much. That longing was ruining her ability for logical thought and the white hot need scalding her blood was causing her to shrug off her earlier fears. He was here, he wasn't going to hurt her, he wasn't going anywhere and he wanted her. She could feel that want pressing between her hips, into her lower abdomen.

She was unaware that he was walking her backwards until the backs of her legs hit the mattress. How the hell the towel was still wrapped around her was a mystery. She tugged his shirt up until finally he pulled away from her long enough to strip it off. Her hands were all over him without her even consciously telling them where to go. She just knew that she had to feel him. Her hand slid down his stomach and then down the front of his pants.

He pulled away and grabbed her wrist. The look in his eye was desperately hungry and she felt empowered by that look. No one had ever looked at her like that before.

"Carol, if you ain't wantin' this to go very far then we might need to stop. Right now." He said in a voice so husky she barely recognized it as his.

Her eyes were locked on his but she couldn't find her voice. She didn't want to stop. She wanted to know, _needed_ to know, what being with a _man _was really like? She wanted to know what the big fuss was about when it came to sex. She wanted him to make her come so she would finally know what that expression even meant.

She never took her eyes off of his as she quickly unbuttoned his pants and slipped her hand inside. She was sure that both of their eyes widened at the exact same time as her hand wrapped around him. Yeah, he definitely wanted her.

All the fire that was pumping through her veins was settling into an electrically charged pool low in her stomach. She'd never felt like _that_ before either. The pressure was almost painful, like something needed to be released inside her and she didn't even know what it was. She just knew, with everything in her being, that he would be the one to bring her that release.

Her knees were feeling very week as her hand moved on him. Jesus, was she really doing this? This was new. Very new. The most she did with Ed was lay there and pray to god it would be quick and try as hard as she could to not let him know that she hated it. She never touched him. She was always repulsed by him.

He finally grabbed her wrist again and shook his head. "You're gonna kill this shit before it even get's started." He breathed.

She lowered her eyes and bit her lip. She heard him growl low in his throat and then he was biting that lip for her. God, she loved it when he did that. He was pushing her back gently following her onto the bed. One of her hands went to his chest and she smiled against his lips when she realized that his heart was pounding just as fast as her own. He wasn't rushing her, which was just another reason to adore the man. He braced himself over her with his arms and as his mouth moved from hers down to her neck she couldn't help but marvel at the tense muscles that were holding him up.

She couldn't help but feel empowered as the muscles in his stomach tense when she let her nails trail down to his waistline once more. He raised his head then, holding her gaze for a second before kissing her jaw. "You sure?" He asked as his fingers skimmed over the towel and then lingered on the corner that was tucked in, still holding it in place.

She nodded and finally he tugged the towel until it was no longer covering her at all. His eyes still never left hers as his hand skimmed down her skin so lightly that she trembled uncontrollably under his touch. It was then that all the things Ed had said to her started chewing away at the strange spell that was woven in her mind. He must have saw that fear cross her face because he kissed her again and just kept kissing her until her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was kissing him back.

When his mouth traveled from her lips to her jaw and then down even further she focused on nothing but him. Right now the only thing that mattered was him. Not the past and not the future and not the cruel words of a dead man. Only he mattered right now. Him and that sweet liquid ache between her legs that was completely foreign to her. That mattered too. But mostly just him.

When she felt his teeth sink into the sensitive skin of one breast her hands instantly tangled into his hair to hold his head in place. A small whimper escaped her lips before she clamped them together. His mouth stayed where it was but his eyes shot up and met hers once more. She couldn't look away. Even when his head finally traveled down further. She tensed when he pressed his lips to one of the scars on her stomach but relaxed when his eyes flicked back up. She didn't understand why this calmed her, and excited her, all in the same breath, but that was what those blue eyes were doing.

The farther down his mouth went the harder it was for her to control her breathing. If she hadn't been so all consumed with all these other emotions she knew that she would be embarrassed. She was panting like a dog and had the sheets fisted in her hands so hard her knuckles were surely white. And the whole time she couldn't keep her eyes off of his. He frequently swept his gaze over her body but he always came back to her eyes and there was something about that that made this very much more intimate than anything else he could have done. A million messages conveyed in just that one smoldering look. It was like a silent reassurance that this would be much different than anything she had experienced before.

The further down he traveled the harder it was for her to catch her breath. The room felt much too hot but she knew that it wasn't really the room at all, it was only her. When his hungry mouth made contact with the first scar on her inner thigh she actually gasped out loud. He took his time with each one until she was sure that if he didn't do something, anything to put out the fire he ignited inside her then it would eventually consume her completely.

He finally pushed himself up on his knees and the very last thing that kept her from being completely exposed to him was now sliding down her hips, then her thighs. Gone. He was still wearing his pants, she wondered vaguely why he hadn't stripped them off yet. This was pretty much the moment of truth. Even after everything, she still almost expected him to mount her like some animal. He didn't. Before she realized what he was about to do his head dipped down between her legs.

She bit down hard on her bottom lip as her head shot up. She looked down at him, he grinned up at her and then, to her complete astonishment, she felt the tip of his tongue lightly graze a part of her that jolted her entire body. She dropped her head back down to the pillow as she squeezed her eyes shut. He pushed her legs up until her feet were planted firmly on his shoulders and then she felt his mouth once more.

The pressure that she thought was going to kill her before intensified to the point where she was nearly sobbing. Never had she experienced anything like this. Nothing could compare to how good it felt. And inside was complete chaos. Her body knew exactly where it was going at the same time her mind was almost paralyzed with fear of this unknown place he was taking her. She could almost compare it to one of those roller coasters. The ones that slowly eased it's way to the very top, just to plummet you down at an impossible speed and in the back of your mind you had to wonder if you were going to come out of it alive.

That was exactly how she felt as his tongue danced over the most sensitive part of her. Something was about to happen and she was not prepared when it finally did. She cried out desperately as her body was suddenly wracked with an intense wave of pleasure that had her nearly sitting up in shock. Her heels dug into his shoulders, her hands in his hair to keep his head in place as another hit her, causing her back to arch wildly.

He didn't stop until she was pushing weakly at his head. She felt spent. Like all of her insides were made of liquid. There was a fine sheen of sweat covering her overheated flesh and the muscles in her stomach were trembling. She was humming like a machine on the inside.

He slid himself back up so his head was once again hovering above hers. She hadn't noticed when he could have done it but the pants he had been wearing were gone now. Even though her brain almost felt like mush and her body was all but screaming for him she still found herself slightly afraid, even as she trailed her hands over him.

"We ain't gotta do anything else, alright?" He whispered breathlessly.

She knew then that he saw her fear. She wasn't going to stop because she knew that the fear she felt was unfounded. There was nothing to fear here. She moved her hips just enough so he was pressed against her. That was all the encouragement he needed. He eased himself into her slowly, eyes growing wide, letting out a heavy breath that washed across her face. She moaned low in her throat. This was nothing like what she had been used too. She could feel that heat building up once more already. He dropped his forehead to hers as he started moving, slowly at first but as soon as she wrapped her legs around his waist he sped up.

And there was that slow burn inside her once again, turning into something almost unbearable. She could hardly believe that it was going to happen again. The way he seemed to fill her up painlessly, bringing her once more to that same strange place that he had managed to take her too just a few minutes ago.

He wasn't rough at all. This dangerous man that everyone had warned her away from was treating her like she would surely break if he wasn't careful.

Her muscles started tensing and she could actually feel herself gripping him tighter. He lifted his head then and almost smiled before dropping it to her shoulder. She felt his teeth graze her collar bone and then his lips were on her throat. Only a few seconds later she was once again on the verge of plummeting off of that edge when she felt his body start to tense as well.

This time was different. It was less raw sensation and more deep satisfaction, still too powerful to keep her wits about her. She dragged her nails down his back right before he growled into her ear and then crushed her mouth with his. He was moving harder, faster, driving into her deeper than before, causing her to lose it once more right before he groaned against her lips. She felt him let go, reveling in the warmth that poured into her instead of feeling repulsed by it like she expected.

When he finally went still, other than his heavy breathing she unlocked her legs from around his waist and ran her hands down his back lightly. She could feel the quick pounding of his heart and it nearly matched the frantic pace of her own. He pushed the top half of himself up on his arms again before easing himself away from her.

He slipped his pants back on as she scrambled under the blanket. She didn't have any clothes to put on anywhere close and she wasn't about to lay there naked while he was dressed. He flopped back down on the bed and pushed his hair out of his face. Neither one of them had said anything and she was starting to feel really awkward. Had he liked it? Was he planning on doing it again? Was he about to tell her that he was going to go ahead and sleep on the couch because she totally sucked in bed and he had no interest in hanging around?

He turned his head and looked at her. She must have been wearing her worry on her face because he frowned. "What?" He asked.

She was about to shake her head and then decided not too. She wanted to know. He would tell her the truth. "Was it bad?" She whispered.

He looked confused for a second and then his eyes cleared and he laughed. "Are you fuckin' serious?" He looked at the ceiling, still grinning.

She started to relax then. He didn't give her an answer but he didn't look like someone who was disappointed. "So, it's something you might want to do again?" She asked hesitantly.

He rolled over onto his side and pulled her to him. "You're fuckin' crazy, you know that?"

He kissed her briefly but a loud knock at the door had them pulling away.

"Are y'all finished?" Merle called from the other side of the door.

"Oh, my God." Carol groaned as she covered her head with the blanket.

"What the fuck, Merle." Daryl yelled.

He apparently took that as permission to come in because that was exactly what he did. Carol moved the blanket from her face and glared at him but she didn't glare for long. He was starting look a little rough around the edges. He walked right up to the bed and sat down, turning so his back was against the headboard and his legs were stretched out next to her.

"Merle, what the fuck are you doin'?" Daryl asked.

Carol wasn't sure what to do. She was completely naked, in the middle of her bed, with a Dixon on either side if her. Jesus, if the neighbors could see this.

"I was comin' to tell ya that I'll wait till mornin'." He said as he looked down at her and then over at his brother who was still only wearing a pair of pants, that weren't even buttoned. "I was actually gonna tell ya earlier but I was too late. Carol woulda kicked me out. She ain't the type to let a man watch and by the sounds of it there'd been a hell of a lot to see. Good job, baby brother." He grinned down at her.

"Merle, get out." She grumbled.

"You sure?" Daryl asked, concern lining his face. "You know how fuckin' sick your gonna be, Merle." He ignored Merle's attempts to joke around.

Merle nodded as he eyed him. "I can handle it."

Daryl sighed. "If that's what ya wanna do then."

Carol couldn't believe they were lying in her bed having a conversation while she was stark naked under the blanket right in the middle of them. "Can you two talk about this somewhere else?"

"Kickin' ya outta her bed already little brother." Merle winked.

"I'm kicking _you _outta my bed. Go Merle!" She snapped.

He snorted. "Girl, from what I just heard, you owe me one." He winked.

"Go Merle." Daryl grumbled.

He went to the door but Carol sat up before he could leave the room, clutching the blanket to her chest. "Hey."

He turned before he opened the door.

"I'm proud of you, Merle." She smiled. She really was. He was really trying and she had all the faith in the world that he was going to make it this time.

He snorted again but she saw his lips turn up before he slipped out the door.

Daryl was pulling her towards him again before Merle even had a chance to get the door shut all the way.


	17. Chapter 17

**I did it! And there was no way in hell I could have done it without you guys, so THANK YOU! You are so very appreciated! This isn't a long chapter but at least it is something. I am pretty sure I know where we are going now. I'm glad everyone was happy with the last chapter! By now most of you know what a difficult process the smut writing is for me. I think it was well worth the effort XD**

**I changed it up a bit. I was given some advice about the writers block. They told me to just write and so I did but Daryl and Carol were causing me to draw a blank. So I turned to the only person that could get me out of this bind at the moment. Merle. It isn't pretty but it is his POV for the moment. I thought this was kind of important anyway. I hope you enjoy it because it wouldn't be posted if not or you. Thanks for all the love! It's Friday so smile and be happy! And be safe =)**

Chapter Seventeen

Merle knew he needed to be as quiet as he could. He didn't want to wake his brother up. He didn't want to see that lost look on the kid's face. Daryl had seen him like this so many times before and every fucking time it made him feel even worse. He made his brothers life harder and he knew it. Daryl wasn't like him and Buck. He could have done anything and what he had chosen to do was stay in a place where everyone hated them and watch as his big brother doped himself up, taking care of everything all on his own. Shouldering the world.

He knew Ed wasn't really there. Just his damaged brain creating nightmare images just to drive him mad. Ed stood there in the corner of the dark room, watching with his smashed-in face as Merle writhed on the bed.

"Take a picture you ugly fuckin' prick." Merle growled at the phantom in the corner before rolling over and heaving into the trash can next to his bed. Everything hurt. He was burning up and he was freezing cold, he heaved once more. When he was finished for the moment he brought his knees up and then wrapped his arms around them as he laid there on his side. Tears stung his eyes but he tried to blink them back. It felt like parasites were chewing on his organs and burrowing under his skin.

"Merle?" A soft voice came from the doorway.

Carol.

He groaned and then shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. She didn't need to see this. Ed was really going to freak her out once she looked over and saw him standing in the corner. He didn't hear anything else from her so he opened his eyes and glanced towards the door. No one was there. She had been another phantom.

Clutching his stomach and stifling another groan he rolled over onto his back. This didn't help. His throat felt like it was on fire. Tears spilled from the corners of his eyes. His throat was so dry he couldn't even swallow anymore.

"Here." Someone whispered.

His eyes flicked towards the sound of the voice and then he felt the mattress move. Carol sat down, facing him. She had a glass in one hand and the other was reaching towards him. He felt her cool hand touch his cheek. "You need to sit up so you can drink a little bit, okay."

He nodded and, ignoring the pain, sat up. He was going to try to hold the glass himself but his hands weren't just shaking, they were quaking. She brought the glass too his lips herself. The ice water felt like heaven in his mouth and to his parched throat but as soon as it hit his stomach he was lunging for the trash can, heaving again.

Her hands were on him then, stroking the back of his head again. He clenched his teeth together and laid his head back onto the pillow. She scooted over so she was closer to him. She didn't say anything and he couldn't see well in the dark room but he heard her sniffle a few times. He wanted to reach out to her but he couldn't unwind his arms from around his stomach. He hated the fact that she was crying because of him and he hated himself for giving a fuck. But he did. Nothing he could do about that now.

"What can I do, Merle?" She whispered in the dark as she ran her hand down his sweaty face.

"Nothin'. This ain't nothin', alright." He groaned again as his stomach tensed painfully. The muscles in his legs were starting to cramp. He wanted to tell her to get his brother. He needed the stuff bad. He glanced in the corner and Ed had moved closer.

"Merle, you're burning up." She put a palm to his forehead.

Her hand was somehow soothing. "Ed wont get the fuck out of my room." He croaked as he finally let go of his stomach and grabbed the hand she had to his head. He gripped it hard and crushed it to his chest.

"Merle, Ed isn't here." He could tell she was crying, somewhere in the back of his mind he knew it was because of him.

"He's here. Always here. I don't know how Buck does it. All them ghosts in his head. I know they're there too. I know they are." He had to let go of her hand so he could get to the trash can again. Nothing was going to come up but he was with it enough to know better than to risk getting puke on the bed. When he was finished once more he didn't put his head back on the sweaty pillow. Instead he curled his large form around her and put his head in her lap, his face pressed into her stomach. For some reason she made it better. Just a little bit, but enough to where he would cling to her for as long as she would let him.

""You're gonna be just fine." She whispered as she cradled his head. He felt like a fucking baby but he didn't care. He just wanted the pain to go away. She couldn't do that. There was nothing she could do about the pain but she made his mind feel better. Everything seemed to realign itself while she was there.

~H~

Daryl didn't know what had woken him up. He sat up and ran his hands over his face. He looked over, expecting Carol to be there but she was gone. The room was empty.

Merle.

He snatched his pants up off the floor, cursing. He padded barefoot to the next room. Merle's door was open and he peeked in, hoping she hadn't been in there dealing with him long. He sighed when he saw them. He figured seeing them like that should piss him off. But he took in the scene for what it was. She had probably heard him and got up to check on him. Merle had probably been a real mess. He knew what that looked like all too well and he wished she hadn't had to see that. Carol, being Carol, wouldn't have let him suffer alone. She'd stayed with him through the whole thing.

Now they were both asleep. She was on her back, one arm draped over her eyes. Merle's knees were drawn up, one arm curled around his stomach, his head was on her chest and she had one hand resting on the side of his face.

He approached the bed quietly. He couldn't remember Merle ever actually falling asleep when he got sick like this before and the last thing he wanted to do was wake him up. He sat down on the edge of the bed and shook her arm gently. She pulled it away from her eyes and then smiled at him sleepily.

He put his finger to his lips and glanced down at Merle. She looked down and then sighed, when she met his eyes again he could see that they were wet. It must have been really bad. It was strange that he hadn't been the one to have to deal with it. He would have broken down and dosed him up.

Merle shuddered in his sleep, groaned a few times and then moved his head just a little so it was pressed into her stomach instead of her chest. He still didn't wake up and Daryl was amazed.

He settled himself down next to her slowly so he wouldn't jostle the bed. Merle made a few more pathetic sounds but still slept on. He'd probably been up for most of the night. Daryl figured it was about time for him to get his ass in gear anyway. It really didn't matter what time Carol showed up as long as she was there before eight. He figured she would want to stay with Merle as long as she could. He wasn't sure if he should leave before figuring out what Merle wanted to do. If he woke up in worse shape than he had been in tonight then Carol would be in a real mess. She didn't know how to inject the shit.

"Did he asked for any drugs?" He barely whispered into her ear.

She shook her head. "No. But he needed it. He was seeing Ed. He said he saw him over in the corner and he wouldn't get out of his room."

Daryl wiped a tear away from her cheek with his thumb. He wished she hadn't had to see that but in a way he was glad that she did. She understood why he had always done what he did for Merle. He wasn't alone in this and it felt good. Merle had seen some really fucked up shit while he was detoxing. That was usually when he started throwing a screaming fit for more drugs. Was she really making that much difference in his life that he would lay in here and suffer alone?

"I gotta give him some before I go. If I don't then he'll end up leavin' and getting more than we would ever give him."

She nodded but didn't look happy. He wasn't happy either but he had to do this. If not then Merle wouldn't ever get any better. He kissed her quickly and then left the room. He barely thought about it as he prepared the needle. He stopped off at the bathroom to get the alcohol. It was really fucked up how used to this he was. How many times had he done that? She had asked him that before but he couldn't answer her. He'd had to do it every time Merle would try to kick the habit for the last four years. He didn't keep count. That would be like trying to keep count of the fucking women the man had been with.

Despite the dire situation he couldn't help but smile a little. He wasn't going to complain about that anymore. Merle really knew what the hell he was talking about when it came to women. He shook his head. He wasn't going to think about that right now. He would definitely be thinking about it later though.

He turned on the light when he went back into the room. Merle was still curled up into himself with his head on her stomach but he was awake now. His eyes were glazed and dangerous. His body jerked every few seconds. Jesus, he had let himself get bad this time. When his eyes landed on Daryl he didn't say anything. He just watched him wearily, he grimaced and then tightened his hold around his stomach. Carol was watching him just as closely as Merle was.

Daryl wordlessly sat down on the edge of the bed and pried Merle's arm from around himself. His skin felt hot. As soon as Daryl was finished he wrapped his arm back around himself and stayed very still.

He watched his brother for a moment before he looked up at Carol. "You gonna stay here a while?" He asked.

Merle lifted his head and then moved until he was lying next to her instead of on her. He yawned loudly. Carol looked like she was surprised at his quick recovery but Daryl was used to it. "Go on girl." He grumbled as he covered his eyes with his arm. "I don't need no babysitter."

She surprised them both by leaning down and kissing the top of his head. "Yes you do, Merle." She smiled and stood up when he peeked out at her from below his arm. His lips twitched but he didn't let it turn into a smile.

They left him then, sure that he would be fine for the rest of the day. Daryl hadn't lowered the dose very much so it would last him a while.

When he looked at the clock he realized he had been right. Almost time for him to get up anyway. He turned the alarm off and sat down next to her on the bed. It was a mess. He couldn't wait to mess it up some more.

He had been a nervous wreck when he had first came in and saw her standing there in nothing but a damn towel. He had no idea what she would want. Not to mention, he really wasn't sure what to do if she ended up wanting _that._ Merle had told him how to get her started but the rest had been a mystery to him. He knew the basics but he figured it would take a while to learn any kind of technique. He expected to botch it and make an ass of himself.

But that didn't happen. Not at all. Maybe Merle and Buck were right. Male Dixons were born knowing how to fuck. He laughed out loud then and Carol looked at him like he was crazy.

"What's so funny?" She asked suspiciously.

He leaned back on his elbows, still smiling. He shook his head.

"Are you laughing at me?" She asked, her eyebrows pulling together in a frown.

"No." he said as he tried to shake off the grin that didn't seem to want to go anywhere. "Why would I be laughin' at ya?"

"Because you're laughing at something and we are the only two people in the room."

"I was thinkin'." He muttered, trying to stop grinning.

"About?" She was trying to hide a smile of her own now.

"Somethin' Merle and my dad used to say that I thought was stupid. It just popped in my head." He shouldn't have even told her that much because now she wasn't going to shut her trap until he told her. Maybe he should since she'd just turn red faced and wish she hadn't pestered him.

"What did they say?" She asked curiously. Right on cue.

He shrugged. "They said something about how it was genetic. Dixon's could fuck." He deadpanned and then almost lost it completely when her mouth popped open and her face turned crimson. It was amazing to him that a few hours ago she was naked with his mouth all over her and she was beyond okay with that but he mentions the word fuck and that's the reaction he gets from her.

She must have known he was trying hard not to start laughing because she recovered quickly. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. Her expression was one of complete seriousness. "They're right. As far as I can tell you Dixon's are definitely a bunch of... fuckers."

Daryl laughed so loud that he was pretty sure Merle would be picking himself up off the floor. She tried hard to hold on to that stoic expression but eventually she started laughing too.

She ended up going with him this time. He didn't think he had to worry about Merle but he took the keys to the truck and both bikes anyway. They even unhooked the phones. He was still sleeping when they left and Daryl figured that he would sleep for a lot of the day since he didn't have anything else to do. There wasn't another murder that him and Buck could bond over so he should be good to go.

When they showed up at the site there was no one else there yet.

"There isn't anyone here." Carol said as she glanced around the still deserted job site.

Daryl looked out the drivers side window. It was still dark. The place was empty. He was starting to get an idea. He glanced back at her and grinned.

"What?" She grinned back.

He got out of the car and she followed. He knew that she would. She almost yelled when he spun around quickly, grabbed her under the arms and then sat her down on the hood of the car.

"What are you doing?" She laughed quietly as he nudged her legs apart and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

"What's it look like?" He asked and then he kissed her hard. He wasn't sure if she'd go for it. As a matter of fact he was almost positive she wouldn't. Hell, he was surprised that he was. But her fingers started undoing the buttons on his shirt as she deepened the kiss.

She pushed the shirt off his shoulders then pulled away. Her eyes flashed in the dark as she slid off the hood of the car. As soon as his fingers touched the button of her jeans he paused. He thought he heard something.

"Did you just hear somebody yell?" He asked, frowning.

She looked up, eyes wide. "I think I did." She whispered.

Just then they both looked towards the partly constructed house that Daryl had been on top of the day before. A vehicle came careening around the side of it. Headlights nearly blinding them. Whatever it was it was large. It was like a big truck or SUV. It sat idle for a few seconds and then they could hear the engine roar as whoever was behind the wheel gunned it, sending up a cloud of dust. And then it was flying towards them.

"What the fuck?" Daryl breathed as it barreled down on them. They were both like deer trapped in the headlights. Neither one of them able to move until the very last second but by then it was too late. Lucky for them, the person behind the wheel veered off and flew past them. Both of their heads turned to see if they could tell what the hell it was but they were momentarily blinded by the bright headlights. All Daryl could tell was that it was a dark color.

They looked at each other and then towards the direction the truck had appeared.

"Should we go see if someone needs help?" She asked as she leaned heavily into his side.

He shook his head and met her eyes, dark spots still dancing in his vision. "If there's someone out there I think they're beyond help. I think it'd be best if you called your friends."

Carol nearly tore the passenger door off, causing Daryl to flinch. "Sorry." She muttered as she glanced at him, as though it were his car she was abusing. She dug through her bag until she had the phone to her ear, asking for Officer Walsh. When she ended the call she stared at him for a few long seconds and then wrapped her arms around his waist. He could feel her shaking. She was probably remembering what she had found at that liquor store. He wrapped his arms around her.

"If there's a body out there, this means Ed isn't the one that killed that woman." She whispered.

He let her go long enough to pick up his shirt, shake the dust off and then slip it back on. He glanced up as he redid the buttons. "I was just thinkin' the same thing." He muttered.

He leaned against the hood of the car and pulled her too him once more. Even in the dark he could see that she was white as a ghost.

"What the hell is goin' on, Daryl? She asked in a shaky voice.

He let out a heavy breath and then shook his head. "I ain't got a clue."


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry this is so late! I was going to take a nap last night and then have this chapter finished by 8. When I woke up it was 6 in the morning! I was mad. But here it is. This is just a filler anyway but I hope you still enjoy it! Hope everyone is having a great weekend! Thank you all for reading! =) Oh, and sorry if it is full of mistakes. I wanted to post this as quick as I could so I only gave it a quick look over.**

Chapter Eighteen

The police that showed up at first were men that she didn't know. She was really hoping that it would be Shane and Officer Grimes. Familiar faces would be a blessing at the moment. There were many different emotions warring inside of her as more and more people showed up. Fear and disbelief were at the top followed closely by anger.

There was, indeed, another body behind the unfinished house, killed in the same way as the woman that she had stumbled upon at the liquor store. Killed the same way her dog had been killed last week. That was where the fear stemmed from. There was someone killing women, which was scary enough. But it was the dog that had her fear escalating. If it was the same person then that person had been right there in her back yard, literally. She had been alone and whoever it was could have easily slipped in and done the same thing to her.

She no longer believed that Ed had been the one to kill her dog. That would be too much of a coincidence. She didn't believe in coincidence. The disbelief came from the fact that this was the second murder that had fallen almost right in her lap. That had to be a record.

And then there was the anger. Not one of these men, not the police or detectives, the medical examiner or the EMT's, could keep themselves from casting suspicious glances Daryl's way. Not _all_ of them were outright rude, but most actually were. Like they believed that he was more than capable of committing a murder so gruesome. That anger was really starting to override the fear coursing through her.

He sat on the hood of the car, watching all of the commotion around them in silence. Every now and then his eyes would narrow and she would look over to see someone new giving him that accusatory look. She hated it. She would understand it a little more if it had been Buck sitting there, or even Merle. But it wasn't them. It was Daryl and he had never done anything wrong. He hadn't earned the suspicion of these assholes. He minded his own business and he kept himself away from other people. He worked hard and he tried to make himself invisible and it was because of people like them. The men who were glancing his way and whispering amongst themselves.

She knew he hated it even more than she did. How alone he must have felt before she shoved herself into his world. She moved so that she was standing in front of him forcing himself to look at her. Not giving him a chance to look anywhere else. The corner of his mouth turned up but he couldn't hold it. He frowned.

"You might wanna back up before they start thinkin' you're an accomplice." He muttered.

Before she could even say anything she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Daryl looked up and his expression turned guarded. She turned to see what had him looking like that and she wanted to groan. Two detectives stood in front of them. One held a notepad and another was looking at Daryl with unveiled disgust. Carol found herself wanted very much to slap that look right off his arrogant face.

"Dixon, right?" The man with the infuriating look asked.

"That's right." Daryl sighed.

"You mind answering a few questions for us?" He asked.

Daryl shrugged and straightened up. "I already answered y'alls questions. When the hell can we leave?"

The other man, the shorter one with the notepad, looked up from his notes. "Dixon? You're one of Buck Dixon's sons aren't you?" Now he held a look of disgust of his own.

Before Daryl could say a word Carol found herself taking a step towards the man. "Can you please explain to me how in the _hell_ that has a damn thing to do with anything?"

"Ma'am, with all due respect, this is a murder investigation. I would strongly suggest you let us get on with it." The taller detective said coolly.

Carol glared. "Then maybe it would be detrimental to the case if the two of you would do some actual investigating. We've both answered questions until we're blue in the face. There isn't anything new either of us can tell you."

Both men looked at one another and then back down at her. The man with the notepad cleared his throat. "Ma'am, considering his family's involvement in past..."

"That has _nothing_ to do with him or this case. This sounds like discrimination to me. I think maybe neither of us need to answer anything else until we talk to a lawyer." She was so mad she was shaking.

"Carol?"

She jerked her head to the side and almost sighed in relief. Shane and Rick were there, looking from her back to the two detectives.

"Do you two mind if we talk to them for a few minutes?" Shane asked the men. They both nodded, glanced at her angry face once more and then walked away.

"Can you believe those creeps?" She turned toward Daryl, who looked like he was about to laugh.

"I can. Comes with the name." Daryl said with a shrug. "I knew I was gonna be suspect number one as soon as we called'em."

"Well, it's bullshit and I don't know about you but I'm not gonna stand here and let them treat you like that." She snapped. When she looked back at Shane and Rick they were both staring at her with wide eyes.

Rick cleared his throat. "Actually we were gonna stop by your place later on. We need to talk to you about something else."

Carol made sure she kept her expression clear. "Something more pressing than _another_ murder?" She asked, putting, what she hoped, was just enough disbelief in her tone.

Shane rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, it's about Ed." He said as he watched her.

"Ed?" She asked.

"He didn't show up for work today or yesterday and he missed a meeting with his attorney. No one has seen him since the night before last."

Carol forced a frown. "Have you talked to his drinking buddies? Maybe they are all on a bender. He did that a lot. Disappear for a few days. I'm sure that's what he's doing."

Shane and Rick shared a look. "That's just the thing. We talked to a few of them this morning and from what they say, Ed left the bar that night on foot. He was talking to them about paying you a visit." Rick looked almost apologetic.

Her frowned deepened. She thought of Merle. How he had been hours ago. Suffering almost silently as he dealt with his pain, and then sobbing into her shirt before finally succumbing to exhaustion. She thought of the way he had protected her that night Ed had come to kill her. She had to protect him. "Are you sure?"

They both gave her a nod. "That was what we were told from the last people he was seen with." Rick said.

Carol shook her head. "I haven't seen him. Not since the other day in town."

"Was this the same day that Buck Dixon threatened him?" Shane asked.

"What are you trying to say? You think Buck has something to do with him missing?" She snapped.

Rick held up his hands. "Carol, we just want to figure this all out, okay? If Buck made a direct threat to the man and the man turns up missing that same night I think that is somethin' that we need to talk about. Okay?"

Carol felt a hand at the small of her back. It was a comforting touch but it did nothing to quell the fear or the anger. She glared at them. But she knew that she had too. She had to calm down. She had to keep Merle safe. She took a deep breath and let it out.

"Have you spoken to Buck?" She asked.

Shane gave her a worn smile. "He had an alibi. We just needed to talk to the two of you, and Merle, of course. After that we can move on with it. But we have to ask. You understand that, right?"

She felt some of that anger fade. He looked desperate for her to understand that the two of them, at least, weren't as quick to place the blame of everything on the Dixon's. "Thank you, Shane."

After talking to Shane and Rick for a little while longer they had more questions to answer and a statement to sign and then finally they were able to leave.

"Who would Buck have used for an alibi?" She asked as he drove, a little too fast, towards the house.

"Fuck if I know." He grumbled.

"They don't think any of us have anything to do with it Daryl. Stop worrying." She said as she watched him, worrying a little herself.

He snorted. "Are you kiddin'? You seen how them fuckers were lookin' at me. If they had the chance to pin it on me they would. If you hadn't been there then my ass would be locked up right now."

"I was talking about Shane and Rick. They don't think we have anything to do with Ed." She said quietly.

He glanced over at her quickly. "_We_ didn't have anything to do with Ed." He growled.

She sighed. She wanted nothing more than to make all of this go away for him, for all of them, but there was nothing she could do.

"Son of a bitch." He muttered under his breath when they pulled into the driveway. There was a police car there already.

"It's fine. Merle knows what to say just like we did. Buck made sure of that." She whispered as she tried to calm her own newly frazzled nerves.

Daryl parked next to the police car and then looked at her. "How the hell can you have so much faith in those two?"

She stared at him for a long time. "I don't know." She said quietly. "But I do."

He sighed loudly. "For some reason I guess that makes two of us."

They were climbing the porch steps when two policemen came out the front door. Carol explained that they had already talked with two officers and then they were on their way. The fact that they hadn't brought Merle out in hand cuffs was heartening. They followed the sound of music towards the kitchen where they found him sitting on the counter with his hand in a cereal box.

He nodded at them. Daryl went to turn down The Marshall Tucker Band. Merle kept singing as loud as he could so it didn't help much. Carol snatched the box out of his hand and then poured some into a bowl. She rolled her eyes and sat the bowl on the counter next to her.

"Are you going to tell us what you told them?" She asked with her hands on her hips.

He nodded. "I told'em what Buck told me to tell'em. My brain ain't that riddled, darlin'. What the hell you two doin' home? Besides to ruin my mornin', turnin' down my music and stealin' the cereal?"

Carol handed him the bowl but Daryl didn't turn his precious southern rock back up. "Another woman was killed this morning. Right behind the job site." Carol said sadly.

Merle sat the bowl down and hopped off the counter. "No shit? Anyone we know?"

Daryl shrugged. "We didn't see her and they haven't released any names yet. Whoever did it damn near ran us over though."

Merle looked about as shocked as Carol had ever seen him. "Y'all seen who did it?"

"Nope. Just know they was drivin' somethin' big." Daryl said over his shoulder as he poured a cup of coffee. "No work for at least a few days."

"Damn." Merle muttered. "You best keep your ass in the house, Carol."

She hopped up on a bar stool and sighed.

There was a loud bang at the door that caused Daryl to spill coffee down his shirt. "Who the fuck?" He grumbled as Merle left the kitchen to get the door.

"It's either more cops or it's Buck." She smiled slightly. She really did like Buck. She wished that him and Daryl could work on their relationship. But she had seen the scars on his body. She couldn't see Buck doing that to him but she knew he had. Drugs did awful things to people.

He sat down next to her, grumbling about hoping it was more cops. She bumped his shoulder. "Be nice, Daryl. He's trying. You have to admit that."

Daryl nodded and stared down into his cup.

"He loves you, you know. I think he really does feel bad for the way he was."

He looked up at her then, shaking his head slightly. "It's too late for that shit. I needed it when I was a kid. I ain't no kid. He ruined my life. Merle's life. I ain't gonna let the bastard in. You can all ya want, but I just can't do it. I don't need him anymore."

"You wont even try?" She asked gently.

He shook his head once more. "I don't need him."

"Needing someone and loving someone aren't the same things, Daryl. I think you still love your dad."

She expected him to get angry, throw up those walls, but he didn't. His face softened and he pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "You're somethin' else, ya know that?" The corner of his mouth turned up and she felt her insides turn to mush.

"I'll take that as a compliment." She whispered.

He leaned towards her, the small smile turning into a smirk. "You shouldn't." He whispered back.

She couldn't help but laugh but it was cut off abruptly when he kissed her. It was cut short when they heard Bucks heavy boots coming towards the kitchen.

"Sorry bout bangin' the door down. When I got here yesterday he had the damn radeo turned up so loud he didn't hear me knockin'." Buck grumbled as he took a seat on the stool next to her. Merle took his spot on the counter once more.

"That's okay. I thought it was you." She smiled at him and was rewarded with one right back. But his slipped a little when he looked over her head. Daryl was once again staring into his cup, running one finger around the rim, lost in thought.

"I found somethin' that belongs to ya, boy. Didn't know if you would want it back but I brought it with me just in case." Buck said. She wasn't sure if it was just her but he sounded a little hopeful.

Daryl looked up at him, eyes narrowed. His expression didn't clear until he looked at her, she was trying to plead with him with her eyes and it must have worked because he chewed his lip for a second and then finally looked back up at Buck. "What is it?" He asked.

Buck left the kitchen for a few seconds and when he came back in, holding what she thought was called a 'crossbow' in his hands Daryl nearly fell off the stool.

"Holy shit." She breathed. "I thought you sold it. Where the fuck has it been?"

Buck just shrugged. "Had it in storage. A friend of mine made the payments every month. I didn't even know it was in there." He handed it over.

Daryl ran his hand over it lovingly and the grin on his face made him look like he was a boy on Christmas morning. She glanced up at Merle who was watching them approvingly. Even Buck had a smile plastered across his face. It was actually a really touching moment.

"Think you can still hit a squirrel from 50 yards away?" Buck asked, clearly pleased.

Daryl snorted and looked down the sites. "Fuck yeah." He muttered.

"We should go huntin' this weekend." Merle said.

Daryl looked up at him and then looked at Carol. "Nah. Not this weekend."

"Why not?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Cause you ain't getting' left alone till they figure out who the hell killed them women." He lowered the bow.

Merle nodded in agreement. "No shit. She can come too."

Daryl scoffed. "She can't hunt. She came from the city dumb ass."

Carol frowned. "I can too." She grumbled.

Buck laughed. "How many times you been huntin'?"

She squared her shoulders. "Well, never. But I'm a quick learner. I'm sure I could do it."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "You'd wanna bring home every damn animal we came across. I don't think you'd let me shoot anything."

Her frown deepened. He did have a point. She had always liked animals. More than people most of the time. But she didn't want to be the reason they didn't go. She could just pretend like it didn't bother her. She knew offering to stay home alone wasn't an option. They wouldn't hear of it. Especially when she told them about what had been bothering her most about the way the dead women had been found.

"Did you guys hear about what happened to my dog?" She asked, knowing she was changing the subject but needing to bounce her worries off of them.

She was met with three sets of blue eyes.

"Last week I heard something outside. When I went to check it out my dog was on the front lawn. He'd been all cut up. It looked just like that woman I found. But I thought for sure it was Ed."

All three sets of eyes turned to steel. She cleared her throat. "It looked so similar to that woman... I think maybe Ed isn't the one that killed my dog." By the time she was done talking her voice was so low she was surprised they heard her at all.

"When the fuck did this happen?" Daryl growled.

She actually shrank away from him. She'd never seen him so angry. "The night before I met you. That day I ran into you. Or you ran into me... whatever." Her pathetic attempt to break the tension didn't work.

She glanced over at Buck, who she had unconsciously leaned into when she had seen the look on Daryl's face.

"You stayed with her that night? That same night ya ran into her car?" Buck asked.

Daryl nodded but Carol couldn't help but blush furiously. That just made her sound bad.

"Y'all didn't hear anything? Nothin' outside?" Buck asked asked Daryl, looking right over her head.

Merle spoke up before Daryl could. "You saw what they was up too that night. They wasn't hearin' a damn thing. Carol's a real loud one."

"Jesus Christ, Merle. Shut _up_." She snapped as she hoped furiously that the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She was going to kill him.

"Merle, leave her alone." Buck muttered as he drummed his fingers on the granite. "You think of anyone else that would wanna hurt ya, girl?"

She shook her head. "I really don't know that many people. I didn't really get out much while I was married to Ed. No one could hate me that much."

"A person that would do some shit like that ain't gotta hate ya. They just gotta spot ya." Merle said quietly.

"It might just have been a coincidence. I'm sure it was just Ed." She didn't sound very convincing, even to her own ears.

Buck shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Me neither." Daryl growled. "Your ass is lucky whoever it was didn't come back for ya."

She gave him a dry smile. "Shane came back that night."

The look he gave her then was causing her to shrink back once more. "He what?"

"He parked out front and kept watch over the house that night. Jesus, Daryl, I didn't even know you anyway. Wasn't like I was cheating on you." She blew out a breath and then realized what she had said. She couldn't cheat on him even now because he wasn't hers. Was he? Even after everything they had done they hadn't ever really talked about what they actually _were _now_. _What the hell were they?

"Have you said anything about this to your cop friends?" Buck asked.

She shook her head, glad someone changed the subject. "No. Do you think I should?"

He rubbed at his short beard for a second. "Might be smart too. They start tryna pin these killin's on Ed, that gives the bastard a reason to disappear."

Merle grunted. "That's a good idea."

"That _is_ a good idea." Daryl chimed in. "You still got Shane's number?"

Carol glanced towards the fridge and nodded. She had meant to throw it away after he had taken her out and it had ended so badly but she hadn't. There had been more pressing matters. "You _want_ me to call and talk to Shane?" She asked skeptically.

"Invite'em over." he said, gears turning in his head. "Both of'em. Shane and Rick. You got a way with people. They see how you are with us and that could turn some shit around. They trust you. Hell, Shane would probably marry you tomorrow if you gave his stupid ass the chance to ask. They were quick to let you know that they weren't thinkin' about us when it came to any of this."

"Daryl, I don't know if that would be such a good idea..." She glanced at Merle who smirked at her.

Buck shook his head. "You're onto somethin', boy. That's some good thinkin'."

"Wait a minute. That isn't good thinking at all! Merle isn't better yet. They still don't like you. Buck, they think you're the devil incarnate! You'll end up making them even more suspicious. I can call Shane and ask him to take me out again. I'll talk to him."

Merle snorted, "You snuck and called us on your date. He would get suspicious if you asked him out. That and from the looks on my little brothers face, that shit wont fly."

Carol looked towards Daryl who was now looking away.

"Call'em up in a bit, baby girl. We ain't stupid men." She nearly squealed when he lifted her up off of the stool and sat her on the counter. He planted a hand on either side of her, locking her between two massive arms. He leaned his face in close to hers. "This is gonna work, you hear me. You'll have'em eatin' outta the palm of your hand."

She swallowed hard and nodded.

"And I think it's about that time." He grinned.

"Time?" She asked.

He nodded. "Time for Daddy Dixon to move in and handle shit." His grin widened.

"Fuck yeah!" Merle whooped.

Daryl groaned.

Carol just stared at him, wide eyed. This was about to get very... interesting.

**Oh, yes. Time for some more Buck. Many of you have requested he move in with them so I had to make it happen. I'm a reader pleaser when I can be. XD **


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm late again! Apologies for anyone waiting for this chapter! For two nights in a row now I have fallen asleep before finishing a chapter. I'm starting to miss my insomnia! I got much more writing done! This isn't really an exciting one. I did take several requests into consideration and added a little more lovin' ;) That explains why the damn thing is even later than yesterdays! Oh yeah, Many thanks to my dear friend Robin for sharing the picture she took of Norman Reedus's ass while waiting in line today! You sneaky dame! I love ya ;) Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this one! Thank you all for reading!**

Chapter Nineteen

Carol was standing in the shower, eyes squeezed shut as she washed her face. She heard the door open and sighed.

"Merle, when you're done can you get in that cabinet and toss me that bottle of shampoo?" She called. She knew how weird it was. She should have been throwing a screaming fit for the man to get out but she was used to him and his strange behavior.

She felt something touch her arm. It was the shampoo bottle. She grabbed it and then turned to rinse the soap from her face. "Thanks. Hey, do you seriously think this is a good idea? Inviting them over like this? Buck and Daryl think so but I don't know about it. I think they're both losing it."

Merle didn't say anything but she knew he was there. If she opened her eyes and he was peeking at her she was going to kill him. She turned back around and then dropped the bottle in her hands when she felt an arm go around her waist.

"This what you and my brother do? Hang out in the bathroom and talk about me?"

She opened her eyes and there was Daryl's grinning face, only inches from her own. She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. Her first reaction was to cover herself but that was fleeting. Especially after he pulled her closer and kissed her hard. She stopped thinking, putting everything she had into kissing him back.

She felt the cold tiles hit her back and his hands sliding over her wet skin. The blood was rushing behind her ears and she barely heard the door open.

"Hey, Carol?" Merle asked and then he must have spotted Daryl's clothes on the floor. "Oh shit. Fuckin' in the shower. Conservin' water and getting' laid at the same time. Good job, little brother." He chuckled.

Daryl was completely ignoring the fact that Merle was even there, his mouth gliding down her neck, to her shoulder. Her hands went to his wet hair, trying to keep him from moving any further down. Not while Merle was in the room.

"Hey, y'all are bein' careful, ain'tcha? I was countin' them condoms and I've had the same amount since we got here."

She felt Daryl freeze for a second and then his head shot up. The look on his face almost made her laugh. He looked completely devastated.

"I'm still on the pill, Merle. Keeps me regular, ya know." She called.

Daryl blew out the breath he had been holding.

"Well, I don't know what the fuck that means but that's good to know. God knows his virginal ass ain't got no diseases to give ya."

"Goddamn it, Merle. Would ya get the fuck out?" Daryl finally seemed very aware of his brothers presence now.

"Fine. But I'm tellin' Buck what y'all are up here doin'."

On one hand she was mortified to be having a discussion with one man at the same time she was standing in a shower naked with his brother. But on the other hand, she was in the shower, naked, with _Daryl Dixon_. She watched the water dance down his shoulders, down his chest...

"Get the fuck out, Merle!" She growled and then started kissing him again. He picked up right where he left off before Merle and came in and scared him half to death with his condom talk. Sometimes she forgot how young he was. Most of the time he acted much older than a boy of barely twenty.

Merle left, slamming the door on his way out, muttering about how it had been nearly a week since he'd been laid.

Daryl shoved her gently against the tiles once more. It seemed like he didn't know where he wanted his hands to go so they went everywhere. She knew the feeling. The steam from the shower was getting thicker and she hoped they wouldn't run out of hot water but with the way they were panting already she didn't figure they would even notice much if they did.

~H~

Daryl felt drunk. Completely wasted as he ran his hands down her hips and then groaned. Last night was pretty much mind blowing, but he wanted more. He vaguely hoped he wasn't turning into some kind of sex freak like Merle, but he couldn't help it. He hadn't even been planning on doing this. Especially with Buck and Merle awake and it being the middle of the day.

He felt her nails dig into his back, causing him to jerk a little. He knew Merle had told him to take his time. Don't be an ass and just go for it right away but he didn't think he was going to be able to take his time. Last night he was nervous. Right now he knew what to expect. He knew what she liked. He knew exactly how to move to get her to where she needed to go. There wasn't any time for that. People were coming over, there was shit to get done.

The water pouring over his back was still hot. Not that it mattered. It could have been ice water for all he cared. He trailed his hand down the back of her thigh, licking drops of water off her skin as his head dipped to her chest. She let him lift her leg until her foot was propped up on the side of the tub. He was able to get closer now and she didn't hesitate to pull him until he was pressing her hard against the tiles.

She bit her lip and grinned at him and in that moment he could have completely lost it. She was fucking amazing. He attacked her mouth before he pushed himself inside her. She made a broken sound against his lips that nearly had him pulling away but she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him harder. He knew what she was doing. As long as his mouth was on hers she could be more quiet.

He moved slowly, knowing that if he went any faster then this was going to be cut really short, but she didn't seem to mind. She was clamping around him like a vice, just like she had the night before, and he knew she was already close.

"Daryl..." She whispered desperately, "Faster."

Damn it! She wasn't going to let this last. But if that was what she wanted there was no way he was going to argue. He didn't think it mattered anymore anyway. The vice tightened more, hot and wet. He could feel the muscles in her stomach contract against his own. His hand shot out so he could brace himself against the tiles. He wasn't getting enough air so he pulled his mouth away from hers and her mouth instantly went to his shoulder, biting lightly and muffling the sounds as her body almost vibrated around him. He let go, keeping his mouth clamped shut, not uttering a sound other than his heavy breathing as she drained him.

He pulled away so he wasn't pressing her against the tiles anymore. Her face was flushed, her eyes wide and bright with small water drops clinging to her lashes. He was kissing her again before he even realized what he was doing. Yeah, he was definitely a freak like Merle.

"Daryl, I have to hurry up. I have food to cook and..."

He kissed her one more time before he finally let her go. "Fine." He grumbled. But he didn't leave. He figured Merle was right. He might as well take a real shower while he was already there. And taking one with her was a lot more fun than taking one alone.

"Do you really think this is a good idea? Inviting people into the house that Ed was actually killed in?" She asked as they got dressed.

He knew she was going to ask and a part of him thought it was a really stupid move. But another part of him, the part that was always going to do what he could to take care of Merle, thought that this was a pretty good plan. "If anybody can change minds in this town it's you." He said as he slipped a dark gray t-shirt over his head.

"I don't have any idea why the three of you think that." She grumbled as she tugged at the hem of her tank top.

He studied her from across the room as she scowled at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of cut off shorts, just long enough to cover up those scars on her legs. "Cause. You do got a way with people. I ain't ever seen Merle try so hard in his life. And I think it's cause of you. I don't know why. And Buck." He rolled his eyes. "Buck _is _the goddamn devil. But then when he looks at you he turns into papa bear or some shit. And me?" He snorted. "I ain't never in my life spoke more than five words to a female. I thought you was all disease riddled skanks. But then here you come with your fuckin' grin and shit. Every fuckin' one of us fell for ya. And if somebody like you can get to the Dixon's, the rest of this town ain't got a chance."

"But what the hell does it matter? People seem to like me. Big deal." She muttered.

"It matters cause if they see how you are with us then they are gonna have to wonder. Did they have us pegged all wrong this whole time? Then maybe we can get out from under their fuckin' radar."

"Am I the first person you ever had sex with?" She asked suddenly, watching his face closely.

Mother fucker. He was going to wring Merle's goddamn neck. The big mouth son of a bitch. He knew she would know if he lied again. He felt his face reddening. "Yep." He said without missing a beat. What was the point in lying now anyway?

She looked completely surprised by this news. "How?" She asked, looking very skeptical. Like he would lie about something like that.

He shrugged.

"How did you know... How did you know to do all that... you know. All that stuff you did?" She asked, her face turning as red as he knew his still was.

"Merle." he blurted out without thinking.

She smiled. "He was right. I owe him."

He laughed but he still felt like an idiot.

"So, we have to share a room now. Buck stole yours." She said as she sat down on the bed and leaned back on her elbows.

He didn't even want to think about that right now. The last thing he wanted was for Buck to live under the same roof as him. That was the whole reason he hadn't taken the bastard up on his offer to move into the apartment.

"Are you okay with that?" She asked, her brow creased with worry.

He huffed and then sat down next to her. "I'm fine with sharin' a room with you. I ain't fine with Buck movin' in."

"Do you want me to tell him to leave?" She asked quietly and he knew then that if he really wanted her too she would kick him out of her house.

He shook his head. "Nah. More people here to keep your ass from getting hurt."

"So, what if Buck wasn't here? Would you want to share a room with me then?" She asked almost hesitantly.

What the hell was wrong with her? Was she stupid or something? Fuck yeah he would want to stay in here with her. He couldn't get her out of his fucking head and it had been like that since the second she'd gotten out of her car after he had hit it. Did she think he didn't want her? Surely it couldn't be that. "Yeah. If Buck wasn't here I'd definitely still wanna be in here."

"Because you just want to be closer to me or so it would be easier to get laid?" She asked quietly.

He couldn't help but frown. What the hell was he suppose to say to that? He shrugged. "Both."

She eyed him for a minute and then sighed.

"Spit it the fuck out Carol. You're the one that was rushin' me cause you had shit to do. What'cha stallin' for?" He asked, honestly curious as to why she hadn't just came out and said what she had to say.

"So, we live together and we work together. We sleep in the same bed and we have... well, you know. What _are_ we then? Do we still go out with other people or..."

"You wanna go out with other people?" He asked, and for some reason this pissed him off. This pissed him off even more than Buck moving in.

She looked away and then shook her head. "I really don't."

He felt himself calm down. "Me neither."

"So we're, what? A couple now?"

"We're whatever the fuck you want us to be. But I can't promise you people ain't gonna laugh."

She looked up, her brow furrowed. "Laugh?"

He rolled his eyes and laughed again. "Come on! Daryl. Carol. Mason. Dixon. You can't make that shit up in a bad fiction story, woman." He winked.

They found Buck and Merle in the kitchen. Carol kept her eyes on what she was doing, refusing to look at either of them. She went right to work, gathering up everything she needed. She had already called both Shane and Rick and they readily agreed. He was surprised himself but he didn't say anything.

Merle watched her with a smirk on his face.

"Leave her alone, jackass." He muttered quietly when he walked by. "You need us to do anything?" He asked more loudly.

She glanced up quickly and shook her head, looking back down at her work quickly.

She was going to have to toughen up if she was ever going to survive living with the three of them. Buck seemed to be doing a pretty good job of controlling himself around her but Daryl knew that he was just as bad as Merle. Sometimes worse. She was too shy. She was still shy with him so he was sure that her face was going to stay that shade of pink for a while.

They left her alone. He was sure that's what she wanted so he suggested the garage and Buck and Merle jumped at the chance to get out there. It was fucking Disneyland and she had pretty much gifted them with the whole damn thing. It was like winning the lottery. She didn't know what half the stuff out there was.

"We should start scroungin' parts." Merle said as he adjusted the volume on the Stereo. "Build another bike."

"We all three got a bike already. The fuck we need another bike for?" Daryl asked as he leaned against the car.

Merle just shrugged. "Well, we got all these tools and shit. I could build somethin' to sell."

Daryl watched him closely. This wasn't Merle just looking to indulge his hobby. Merle was goddamn good with his hands. Especially when it came to bikes. They pretty much had a whole shop at their disposal. This was Merle's way of contemplating doing something that would contribute. Daryl couldn't ever remember feeling as hopeful as he did now.

"That's a damn good idea." Buck said as he slapped Merle on the back. "Ain't nobody this side of the Ohio that can do the shit you can do with a bike, boy. You could make yourself a fuckin' fortune."

"It'd help Carol." Merle muttered as he grabbed a beer.

Buck met Daryl's eyes and gave him a nod. It was her. Somehow she had wormed her way into Merle's head to the point where he wasn't only looking at the now. He wasn't simply focused on getting clean, he was focusing on his future. This wasn't something either of them had ever done before. The future was bleak. Daryl had always seen himself alone and struggling. Merle had always seen himself dead or in prison. To realize that they had both shed a little of that fear was amazing. Especially for Merle.

For the first time in his life, Daryl was proud of his brother. He'd never tell him that but it was true. It didn't take Merle long to sour the mood though.

"So, baby boy. Tell us bout how hot that shower was." Merle winked and then Buck grinned before he wrapped one of those huge arms around his shoulders and mused his hair.

God, I hate you both." he growled as he struggled to get away from Buck.

~H~

Carol was almost done with everything by the time the guys came back in. She tried to avoid Buck and Merle's knowing gazes but her eyes couldn't avoid Daryl's. He looked at her and smirked. She turned just in time to catch Merle about to put his grimy finger in the topping of the pie she'd just finished.

"No." She smacked his hand away. "For one, wash your hands, for two you'll be lucky to get any of this at all with that stunt you pulled earlier." She growled.

"I didn't do nothin'. I was just comin' to ask you a question. How was I suppose to know you were in there..."

He stopped mid sentence when she put her hand over his mouth. "No." She said again and then took her hand away.

He huffed and then sat down with Buck at the small kitchen table. "So, Rick. He's the one with the wife, right?" Merle asked no one in particular.

Carol nodded and then noticed the way Daryl was looking at him. There was definitely a warning in that look and then Carol realized why.

"Merle, if you try to sleep with that man's wife, I swear to God, I will lock you in the garage." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What if she wants it?" He asked and his expression was one of complete curiosity.

She glared at Daryl. "This is exactly why this is a bad idea. How the hell are we going to convince these people that you all are decent men if your brother is trying to bang Rick's wife? You just remember this was your idea."

Daryl shook his head. "This was Buck's idea."

Buck shook his head at his oldest son. "Merle, if you fuck that woman I'll kick your ass all over this house." He growled.

Merle rolled his eyes. "Fine."

She groaned. She had just enough time to change out of her flour dusted clothes. She had one dress. Only one. Ed hadn't allowed her to wear things like that but she had held onto it. It wasn't anything fancy, which was fine, because she wasn't much of a fancy girl. And this wasn't a fancy occasion. It was only a sundress. She had no idea why Ed had thrown such a fit over it. Maybe the thin straps showed too much shoulder. She scowled into the mirror as she put her hair up in a ponytail. That was as elaborate as she got.

She hurried down the stairs, in a nervous rush. She nearly slammed into Buck who was coming around the corner, he caught her around the waist and righted her. Merle and Daryl was coming in from the living room.

"Easy there." Buck muttered as he pulled his hands away and grinned. "Well look at you, not dressed like a tomboy."

"Shut up." She grumbled as she pushed past him.

Just as she walked out of the foyer there was a knock at the door. She hurried back but Buck was already pulling the door open. Merle and Daryl both slinked out of the room. Cowards.

"Hi, Rick." She said a little breathlessly as she smiled. When she got a look at the woman on Rick's arm she instantly felt like a toad. Lori Grimes was tall and slim with long dark hair and wide dark eyes.

Rick gave her a nod. "Hello Carol. This is my wife, Lori, Lori, Carol Pel..."

"Mason. I'm Carol Mason." Carol said instantly as she shook the woman's hand and smiled a little wider.

Rick gave her an apologetic look.

"It's nice to meet you." Lori said with a smile. "Your have a beautiful home."

"Thank you." Carol said, glad this was going well so far. Even if they were only thirty seconds into the evening. It was thirty seconds she no longer had to stress over.

"Buck. Nice to see you again." Rick offered Buck his hand and Buck shook it and nodded.

"You too, Grimes. Especially under better circumstances." His tone was nothing but friendly.

Lori was staring at him curiously. Carol was glad that she wasn't staring at him the way other people did. With blatant fear.

"Ma'am." Buck nodded, offered his hand and then Lori's disappeared in his huge grip.

"N-nice to finally meet you." She said, eyes wide.

Buck smirked.

They made their way through the house to the kitchen. Lori seemed fascinated. "I love old houses like this. Rick mentioned that your grandparents owned it?"

Carol nodded. Taking a hit to her self esteem every time she glanced at the woman. "My grandpa was a bit obsessed. He kept the place as original as he could. The only things updated are the kitchen and the bathrooms. I love it here."

"And now it's pretty well guarded." She smiled at Carol and then glanced at Buck's back.

It was then that Carol decided she liked this woman. There was no judgment in her eyes. Questions, absolutely, but no judgment. Rick and Lori were good people. Even though Rick had obviously had his own encounters with Buck, he wasn't going to let that get in the way of getting to know the man. They both seemed eager to give the Dixon's a chance.

Lori was introduced to the other two and even though Carol knew that Buck and Merle both were having a difficult time keeping their eyes off of young Lori Grimes, every time she glanced up Daryl's eyes were only on her. She found herself feeling less and less self conscious.

The men made small talk. Safe topics like hunting, which Rick didn't know much about, and cars, which Rick did know about. Cars it was. Lori joined her as she leaned against the counter, watching Rick carefully as he was taken in by Merle and Buck's easy banter. Daryl didn't say much but that didn't seem to matter.

When Shane finally showed up things got a little more tense. He wasn't as easily charmed as Rick. He made it a point to bring up things that she wished he would let go. He was all too curious about Buck's last trip to the big house. Merle's apparent abandonment of his old friends and Daryl, well, there was nothing he could really say about him.

Buck and Merle were phenomenal. Carol watched in near fascination as eventually, even Shane found himself laughing at their antics and joining in their boisterous conversations. She wasn't stupid, however. She saw the way at times Rick and Shane both would watch them a little more carefully than they needed too. They were still cops. They wouldn't let themselves get sucked in completely. She had to admit that if Buck and Merle had put more of their natural charisma forward instead of their natural ability to scare the hell out of people, they would have a lot more friends.

When they finally were able to eat, the conversation jumped around a little. Everyone fawned over the meal and things seemed to flow well. She was sad she was about to have to put an end to the comfortable atmosphere.

"Have you two managed to locate Ed yet?" She asked as she sipped her coke.

Shane was the first one to speak, since Rick's mouth was full. "We haven't turned up anything. As far as we can tell the man vanished that night."

"Go ahead and tell'em what you told us earlier, darlin'." Buck gave her a nod. "If you're worried then these are the men you should talk too."

She glanced up quickly. She had Rick and Shane's attention now. They both wore looks of concern.

"I was thinking about the last night I had to call you guys. After I found... well," She cleared her throat, "I can't stop thinking about how similar it was to that girl. The one I found. The way she died, it was so much like the way my dog was killed. I can't help but think maybe..."

Shane put a comforting hand over hers. She had gotten herself stuck sitting between him and Daryl. She felt Daryl tense at her side.

"We thought the same thing." Shane said quietly.

She looked up at him and his head was tilted towards her. "So you think maybe he'll come here? To do the same thing to me?" She didn't have to force any nervousness into her voice. Daryl wasn't the only Dixon tensing up at the sight of Shane's hand covering hers. She pulled her hand away slowly, trying to not make a show of it.

Shane glanced down and then smiled thinly. "I don't think he will. And Rick and I plan on finding the bastard before he can. In the mean time, it seems like you got yourself some home security so there ain't nothin' to worry about."

He sat up straighter in his chair and continued eating. Everyone relaxed slightly after that. She met Buck's eyes briefly from across the table. He seemed pleased but her stomach was in knots.

When it was finally over the men made their way to the living room, Shane and Rick neither one seemed to be in a real huge hurry to leave.

"That was about an over dose of testosterone." Lori giggled as she helped Carol clear the table.

Carol smiled. "Tell me about it. That's dinner every night in this house." She ran some dishwater, busying her hands while still hyper aware of the other woman's eyes on her.

"Carol, I have to be completely honest with you." Lori said hesitantly.

Carol looked up but didn't say anything. She hoped Lori would tread lightly. She would hate to be the one to blow this evening but she was quick to become defensive.

"When I first heard that you had Merle and Daryl move in here," She shook her head, "I thought you must be insane. I couldn't imagine it. Two men like that living with a woman like yourself. I thought you were one of those women that were just a glutton for punishment."

"Well, everyone has an opinion." Carol said dryly as she busied her hands in the water. She was biting her tongue. She could almost taste the blood in her mouth.

Lori began rinsing the dishes off. "I want to apologize for that. It's pretty clear that these men adore you. I had them pegged all wrong, just like everyone else. Maybe they haven't always been good men, but I can see they aren't anything like the evil things I've heard so many stories about. As far as I can tell, you are probably the safest woman in this whole town right now. And I really do admire you for giving them a chance."

Carol stared at her, barely able to believe what had just came out of this woman's mouth. There was no way. She couldn't be serious. But Carol could tell that she was.

"There _is _something I'm curious about though. I'm almost too embarrassed to ask." She blushed delicately

Carol frowned. "What?"

Lori met her eyes. "Even though I've heard all of the rumors and know the things that they've done... well, anyone with eyes can see that they are all three pretty much..."

Carol let out a small laugh. Lori was clearly embarrassed about something. "Well?" Carol raised an eyebrow.

Lori sighed and then met her eyes. She leaned in so their heads were closer and then she glanced around the room quickly to make sure they were still alone. "How can you stand to live under the same roof as them without climbing into their beds at night? I never noticed before, but those men are_ sexy_."

And that was it. The web was woven. If news about this new leaf that Merle and Buck had turned over spread as quickly as everything else did in this town then it wouldn't take all that long for the rest of the town to pick up on it, and hopefully accept them. And not point any fingers when it became clear that Ed Peletier was never coming home.


	20. Chapter 20

**I'm on time today. I think that means at least my own Monday is off to a normal start. I wasn't able to get back to everyone that left a review yesterday but it was a hectic day and I was trying to finish this chapter. I'm glad most of you are enjoying Lori and Rick so far. Her, being one of my least favorite characters on the show, isn't going to be an easy character to portray so I'm not going to have her personality down. I'm winging it so bear with me. I'm only giving it a try because I kind of need her. Hopefully it doesn't distract. Anyway, enough rambling! I want to get this posted. I hope you all enjoy this one. For some reason I was able to finish it with no problems. I'm going to hope that the rest of the week goes just as smooth. Hope you all have a great day, even if it is the dreaded Monday! Thank you for the love and for reading! **

Chapter Twenty

The next day all three men decided that Buck would stay with Carol while Merle and Daryl went on a hunting trip. It had been years since either of them had been on a hunting trip and Daryl had even spent a good portion of the evening cleaning the bow.

She had tried to insist that they go. Buck told her no. Daryl told her not yet and Merle, being in a foul mood over Lori, told her to fuck off. He was rewarded with glares from his father and brother. He just glared right back. It had been getting late and since he hadn't had as much heroin as he had had the night before he was feeling the withdrawals from it much earlier.

Later on, even though he had been a real jerk, mostly to her for some reason, she had found herself slipping into his room. She thought about the comment that Lori had made after dinner. Like a dark comedy in the back of her mind. She had brought more water, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep it down. It had scared her since he had seemed to be much worse than he had been the night before. He grimaced in pain and cried out often and once again she had sat on the edge of his bed, doing what she could to bring him at least a little peace.

Buck and Daryl had both came in, unable to ignore the man's cries. Daryl said that he was in more pain because the dosage had been dropped. It didn't matter that they had only lowered it by a small amount. It was devastating to his body. Torturous to his brain. Buck looked as though he was in nearly as much pain as his son. She remembered then the conversation him and Daryl had had that first day he had shown up on her doorstep with Merle. This was Buck's fault. Sitting there with Merle's head in her lap she understood Daryl's hate for the man much better. But by the look on his face, she didn't think anyone could have hated Buck Dixon more than he hated himself at the moment. But he did stay. Him and Daryl both did. Both of them sitting on the floor, one on either side of the door, and watched as Merle went through his withdrawals.

One time Buck had suggested to shoot him up himself. Just to ease Merle's suffering but Carol had nearly bit his head off and he was quiet after that. Watching with a haunted look in his eye. Had his own withdrawals been this bad? Had he suffered through them alone?

She had eventually fallen asleep. She had woken up in Merle's bed with a sheet pulled over her. Sunlight poured into the windows and Merle was gone. Jesus, could the four of them be any more dysfunctional? Two nights in a row she had found herself sleeping in Merle's bed and not one of them found this inappropriate. Not even her. She wondered briefly what Lori Grimes would say to all of this.

The four of them now sat at the table, picking at their breakfast, saying very little. She didn't like the fact that Buck was staying behind just because of her. She wanted him and Daryl to work on their relationship. Every now and then she would catch him letting his guard down with Buck but as soon as he realized what he was doing it would shoot right back up. He would become distant once more but she could tell he wanted it. He wanted to have a relationship with his dad. He was just afraid. How bad had Buck hurt him? She was always curious but she never wanted to ask. He had never asked her details about the things Ed had done to her. What right did she have to ask him about the abuse Buck bestowed on him?

"What are you guys going to kill?" She asked as she picked up her plate and headed to the sink. "Thumper? Bambi? Their little skunk friend, what was his name?" She asked, not expecting a response.

"Flower." Merle volunteered and then he realized what he had said and he looked back down at his plate.

"Boy, how the hell do you know that?" Buck asked as he grinned over his coffee cup. Carol was glad he had asked since she was dying to know.

Before Merle could think of a reasonable response Daryl was laughing. "Don't surprise me he knows shit like that. He sits at home all day and watches fuckin' soap operas."

"Fuck you. No I don't." Merle growled as he glared at Daryl.

"You got that shit tevo'd you liar. I looked." Daryl's laugh was cut short when Merle threw his fork at his face.

"You dipshit. You coulda put my fuckin' eye out." Daryl yelled as he threw his own, barely missing Merle's face.

Merle and Daryl both stood up at the same time. Ready to destroy the kitchen, or each other. Like two teenage boys.

"Goddamn it, sit down." Buck barked.

Neither of them did as he said until he stood up himself. With mutual grumbles they both flopped down in their seats. She was glad Buck had been there. There wasn't any way they would have listened to her.

"Are you two sure you should be going out to the woods together? Armed?" She asked skeptically.

"Don't worry, darlin'. He's gotta keep his big stupid mouth shut in the woods. I'll bring your boy home safe and sound." Merle grinned at Daryl who said nothing but flipped him off.

"Buck, you should go with them. I'm not a baby. I can take care of myself." She said, hoping he would listen to her.

All of them looked at her. By the looks on their faces there was no way she was getting out of being babysat today.

"No way, baby girl. You're stuck with me." Buck gave her a look that said there was no room for arguing any further. Daryl and Merle both looked smug about it.

"I have to go shopping." She said, hoping that he would be one of those men that hated things like that.

"Gonna buy a weddin' dress?" Merle smirked.

She glared at him. "No. I have to buy groceries cause your a pig."

Buck just shrugged. "I need to pick up a few things myself."

"I also was thinking about stopping at that new clothing store. _Womens _clothing store." She pressed.

He shrugged. "Then maybe I'll pick me up some women too."

She groaned and shoved herself away from the counter, storming out of the kitchen without another word. What a bunch of over protective assholes. She was about to go up the stairs when she heard someone walking across the wooden porch. She angrily threw open the door before whoever it was could knock.

A man stopped in his tracks. She knew him from somewhere, she knew she did, but she couldn't put a name to his face. He was a handsome guy with one of those faces that made it impossible to guess his age. He could have been Daryl's age or Merle's. She didn't much care. She crossed her arms over her chest when she realized she was still wearing her pajamas, which consisted of a tank top and baggy flannel bottoms. It still didn't stop the man from ogling her.

"Can I help you?" She asked in a tone that suggested that she had no intentions of helping the creep at all.

"You must be Carol." He smiled, causing her to narrow her eyes.

"Do I know you?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets and balanced there on the heels of his boots for a second. "No, not personally. We can change that though, if you want."

She felt anger coiling inside her. Who the hell _was _this guy. "I don't have time for your games, mister..."

"Dave. The names Dave. I've seen you around. I'm a friend of Merle's. Somebody said he was shackin' up with you." He grinned.

Carol couldn't believe this guy. She narrowed her eyes even more. "What do you want with Merle?" She asked.

He shrugged. "I got somethin' he might be interested in."

"Like what?" She snapped. She had an idea what he had for Merle.

He laughed darkly. "Come on now, baby. You know by now that there's one thing other than what you're giving him that he needs." He winked.

Carol felt that anger surge but she simply stood there, unable to do anything with it. She normally wasn't an angry person. But she remembered holding onto Merle for two nights in a row while he writhed in pain and sobbed into her. And men like this was what had always made it so hard for him to kick that habit. She remembered Buck's tortured face. And then she smiled.

He took this as a good sign. "Yeah," He nodded, "I've seen you around plenty of times, you're one of them smart girls. I knew you would get it."

"Come on in." She was having trouble keeping that smile on her face but she managed..

He followed her into the foyer and then she turned. "Stay right here. I'll tell him you're here."

He gave her that creepy smile again and then she hurried to the kitchen.

They were all still at the table. She wasn't sure who to go to first.

"Merle, before you guys leave I was thinking about buying some more plants to go around the porch out back. Can you go to the garage and grab me the two bags of fertilizer that's in the back by the bench?" She asked.

He huffed and then stood up. "Why the hell do I have to do it?"

"Because you love me and I asked nicely." She smiled.

He snorted but he did head out the back door.

"There is some guy here looking for Merle. Some creep named Dave." She hissed as soon as Merle was out of the room. She was about to say more but Daryl was out of the chair and gone before she even knew what else to say.

They both heard a crash and then someone cried out in pain. Buck was in front of her. By the time they made it to the foyer Daryl was straddling the guys chest and was hammering his face with both fists. Buck grabbed Daryl around the waist and yanked him off of the man.

"Enough." Buck growled right into Daryl's ear.

Daryl stopped fighting then. Buck let him go and then stood the guy up. "You gonna tell me why you just beat this fucker's ass?" Buck asked as he helped the other man stand.

"That's his fuckin' dealer." Daryl growled.

Buck glared at the guy and then gave him a shove. He landed gracelessly on his ass. His face was a mess when he looked up. It looked like his nose had been broken and one eye was already swollen almost closed. Blood was dripping down from split lips. "Did Merle call you here?" Buck asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Dave shook his head and then winced as he tried to stand.

"Then what the fuck ya doin' here?"

Dave eyed Buck. Carol could tell by the guys New England accent that he wasn't a local. Or hadn't been a local for long. He wasn't local enough to know who he was looking at anyway. If he did he would be a lot more scared than he was. Right now he just looked angry. Well, the one eye did anyway. The other was a mess.

"Heard he had moved in with Carol here, I knew the place pretty well. Thought I'd drop by since I hadn't heard from him in a while. I didn't know she was fuckin' all three of ya's." He grinned and it was a morbid sight.

Daryl was about to lunge for the guy again but he didn't have a chance. Buck had one of those massive hands around the guys throat and before Carol could do anything the guy was lifted off the ground.

"Buck. No!" She yelled and then grabbed the arm that was holding the guy. "Please, no." She pleaded.

He glanced down at her and the look in his eyes had her wanting to run away. She stood her ground though.

"Please put him down." She said in a quiet but panicked voice.

He dropped him. Dave literally hit the floor, holding his throat and scooting back as far from Buck as he could. "Get the fuck out. I see you around here again and she ain't gonna be able to save your ass." His voice dripped venom and Dave didn't hesitate to bolt as fast as he could. Which wasn't really very fast at all.

When the guy was out the door Daryl stared after him, his face as angry as Bucks but not nearly as scary. She finally let go of Buck's arm. He still had that cold look on his face but then he brought his hand up and cupped the side of her face. She could feel that his hand was shaking slightly.

"You go on upstairs and get ready. We got some shoppin' to do, ya hear?" He said in a tone that was much softer than she had expected.

She nodded against his hand and then he dropped it to his side. He looked at Daryl who was still breathing heavily. He nodded towards his son and then strode out of the room like nothing ever happened. They both watched him go.

"I don't think we should leave. Not today." Daryl muttered as he followed her up the stairs.

She turned around, flashing him an angry look and then stomped the rest of the way up. When she got to their room he was watching her warily and then she felt bad. She was always giving him grief. She really needed to stop treating him that way. Instead of bitching him out she put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him.

He looked confused for a second, which caused her to laugh. She was definitely too hard on him. "I don't want you to stay here. Merle needs this and so do you. Go out to the woods and kill things. I'm goin' shopping with Buck."

"What just happened down there didn't bother you none?" He narrowed his eyes.

She went into the room then and shut the door when he came in after her. "It bothers me a lot." She held up one trembling hand. "I don't really know how to handle violence. It scares me."

"I'm sor..." A finger to his lips silenced him.

"No. You saw the same thing I did last night. Merle messes up one time and we start all over. We can't let that happen. That bastard deserved what you gave him. I think Buck may have ended up killing him, which I didn't want, but you needed to kick his ass. If I wasn't such a stupid girl I would have done it myself right out there on the porch."

He smiled and shook his head. "Ya need to leave the fightin' to us."

"You're sexist." She muttered.

He shrugged. "I guess I need to get Merle and go. God knows what else is gonna happen if we don't get outta here."

She nodded and felt like a complete idiot when she thought of how much she was going to miss him. They would be back tonight. There wasn't any reason to feel that way. "I'll see ya."

He kissed her quickly, probably knowing that she wouldn't let him out the door any time soon if he lingered any longer. "See ya." he smiled and left the room.

She waited until she heard his boots on the stairs before she sighed. She ran a brush through her hair and then threw on some jeans and a t-shirt. Something was bothering her about the guy, other than the fact that Daryl had kicked his ass in the foyer and Buck nearly ripped his head off. It was how familiar he had seemed to her and then she had it.

When she had first moved into the house she had gotten all of the locks changed. He had been one of the guys to come out and change them. She shuddered at the thought of someone like that being in her house without her knowing what kind of person he was. She recalled what he had said about her to Buck and then shook her head. She couldn't help but wonder how many other people felt that way about her.

She met her eyes in the mirror and then squared her shoulders. She really didn't give a damn. They could say whatever they wanted. She had a few good friends that knew her better than that and she was happy with the Dixon's staying there. Even with all the responsibilities that came with looking after a recovering addict and even with the fear she sometimes felt when she thought of how Buck had been to his boys. She didn't care. It was all worth it.

Merle and Daryl took Daryl's truck so she let Buck drive the car. She didn't know what it was about the damn thing but the Dixon's were crazy about it. She felt really silly dragging him around with her all day. It wasn't like she was going to get picked up off the street in broad daylight. She was glad they were there at night but during the day? She thought they were all just being paranoid.

When he stepped out of the car several people turned their heads to stare. She didn't blame them really. Even if he didn't have the reputation that he had he was still an intimidating sight. That was one of the things she didn't understand about that Dave guy. He must have had brass balls. She had to give the guy that much. Either that or he had already been on something and wasn't too concerned.

Buck was mostly silent while they were in the store. She didn't like long silences but she kept her mouth shut because she had to assume that he actually did like them since he was usually so quiet. She couldn't help but notice that he seemed to keep his eyes on everything all at once without looking like a complete weirdo.

"What kind of stuff did you need?" She asked as they rounded a corner. She had been glancing up at him when she asked, causing her to ram into someone's cart.

"I'm so sorry!" She said before she even got a look at who she hit. "Andrea?"

The blonde smiled. "Hi Carol." She looked at who Carol was standing with and the smile froze and then faltered.

"How have you been?" Carol asked, feeling her friendly mood cool drastically at the way Andrea was looking at Buck. This was one person that obviously knew all about him.

"I've been good. Thank you. My uncle finally filled all the waitress positions so that leaves me off the hook."

"I'm really sorry about that." Carol muttered, and she really did.

Andrea held up a hand and smiled once more. "Don't be. My uncle tries but the place just attracts the wrong kind of people. I heard all about your first night and I don't blame you at all for not coming back." She glanced towards Buck once more. "I don't believe we've been formally introduced." She said coolly but Carol had to give her points for trying. That was at least a little nice of her. "Andrea." She held out her hand.

"Buck." He shook it briefly.

"I know." She said before turning her eyes back to Carol. "Well, I better go. We should really get together some time. Go out for a coffee or something."

Carol nodded. "That sounds good."

They said their goodbyes and Carol cut the shopping trip short. She forgot to ask Buck, once more, what it was that he needed to pick up. He had probably just been saying that anyway so she would shut up.

Buck carried the bags for her, which was nice of him but she could have done it herself. She was about to open the trunk for him when she heard someone curse from a few feet away. When she looked over there was a man bent over picking up groceries from the ground. His bag must have ripped. An apple rolled towards her and bumped against her foot. She bent to pick it up and then decided to help the poor man.

"These bags are ridiculous." He muttered and then smiled at her. "Thank you."

She hadn't realized until just then that he was dressed rather well and the car he had been loading up with his bags was a brand new sedan. "You're welcome." She smiled back.

"It's one of the things that brought me to this town. It's filled with kind people." They stood up at the same time and he loaded the rest of his things.

"So you're new here?" She asked as he closed his trunk. She didn't even know why she was still standing there.

"You don't remember me, do you?" He asked as he looked down at her, his head tilted slightly.

She frowned. "Should I?"

He laughed lightly. "Well, it has been quite a few years. I lived in Atlanta. I was a friend of your fathers." He laughed once more. "Well, I worked with your father. You and I went on a few business trips together but that has been years ago. You were just a gangly little girl back then."

"And you recognized me how exactly?" She asked.

He inclined his head towards the car. I remembered the car and I remembered that this is the very town your father had grown up in. And it is my job to know the people here in this fine community."

"Your job?" She asked, her frown deepening. This conversation was getting a bit creepy.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm the Mayor."

"Philip Blake? I think I remember the name. That was what, eight years ago?" She asked as realization finally dawned on her.

"About that, yes."

"How did you end up here?" She asked, feeling a bit uneasy and not really knowing why. There was something really off about this guy. She remembered that she hadn't liked him on the few occasions she had met him when she was younger.

"You're father pulled some strings for me quite a few years back, before his accident. I've been on the council for the last few years and I won the election last November. It has been quite a ride. Maybe we could discuss it over dinner some night."

"I... oh. I'm sort of seeing someone." She said hurriedly.

"Carol, I wasn't asking you on a date. Just old friends catching up." He looked at her like she was still just some sort of child.

"That sounds nice. I'll get a hold of you." She backed up a few steps but tried to keep that smile on her face.

"That's great. You can meet my daughter, Penny." He smiled.

Carol felt herself relax a little. "Oh, you're married?"

His smile faltered and he looked away. "I was. She passed in a car accident nearly a year ago."

"Oh. I'm so sorry to hear that." She felt like a real ass now.

"Thank you." He glanced past her and his face grew hard. "Well," he looked down and smiled once more. "I suppose it's time for me to get this home. I look forward to seeing you again."

She nodded and backed up until she ran into something solid. She turned her head. She'd ran right into Buck.

"You alright?" he asked as he looked from her to the retreating car.

She nodded. "I'm fine. Lets get the hell home."


	21. Chapter 21

**Look who is posting way early this time! I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I'm kind of proud of it. And it gives you all a deeper look into what is going on so you don't have to guess so much. It was a challenge but I think it was really worth it. I hope you all do to! This is getting so fun. I love reading all of your theories! So, I'm cutting this short so you can read this thing. Let me know what you think. Not that I'm going to give anything away. Thank you all for reading and reviewing! **

Chapter Twenty One

Her name was Lori Grimes. Another bitch that needed to be put in her place. His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he watched her walking down the street, swinging her hips and smiling at every man that happened to glance her way. Just another whore. He felt sweat trickle from his temple down to his jaw bone. They were all nothing but whores. And they all needed to be dealt with.

His breath was becoming ragged as he watched her get further and further away. She needed to be taught a lesson. She needed to know that it didn't matter that she was married to Rick. Rick was nothing. Rick was a power hungry child. A love sick boy. He was almost as repulsive as that youngest Dixon.

He began humming a tune. Trying to sooth his nerves. It usually worked but the thought of the Dixon boy was enough to cause him to see red. He didn't deserve what he had. He was nothing. Trash. Something to be disposed of. But he wasn't ready to get rid of the boy just yet. There were other things that needed to be handled. Things that were more pressing than that.

Like Lori Grimes.

He was ready to deal with the boy. Ready to watch him bleed for what he had done. He had seen them that day. Seen the kid back right into Carol's car. Saw him get out. Saw them _talking. _The way they had looked at each other had made him want to get sick. Surely she wasn't considering that boy. But she had indeed been considering him.

Carol was better than that. Carol was perfect. Or so he had thought. He hadn't had a chance to let her know how special she was, though. From that very day the boy had hit her car they had been together. The boy had spent the night at her house. He had seen the things they had been doing, right there from the kitchen window. He'd watched, standing there in the rain. And he had been so very close to ending that. If it hadn't been for a drunken Ed Peletier showing up he would have. He should have killed him too.

He had watched Ed peeking into the windows like a filthy pervert. He had slunk into the shadows after that but he wasn't a stupid man. He knew what Carol was letting that boy do to her. He had went home after he realized Ed was just going to stand there and watch them.

He watched Lori stop on the sidewalk. She waved at someone across the street. There, heading towards Lori, was another one. The blonde big shot.

Andrea.

It made him sick that she always wore those shirts that emphasized her breasts. Like it wasn't enough that she was successful. She needed attention for things other than her mind. Maybe he would give it to her. Give her all the attention she could ever want. But he wanted Lori first.

He thought about how these two needed him to take his time with them. Show them that they needed to be taught a lesson. Show them that it didn't matter how they looked or what they wore, or their social status. They had no right. They were nothing. They needed to be reminded that a woman had no place other than where a man put her. Carol understood this. Why couldn't_ they_? His own mother hadn't understood either.

Yes, Carol had fallen from grace but it wouldn't take long to show her the way once more. He could only hope that she wasn't letting them all touch her. He grimaced as he imagined this. Her small body writhing under the touch of those men. Burning there under their gaze. Had they all felt what it was like to be inside of her? Is that the kind of thing she wanted now? Their lips kissing her? Their tongues tasting her skin? Could someone as perfect as her really want that? Well, soon there would be nothing left of them to want. Especially the boy.

He had seen them just yesterday. His hands all over. His mouth all over her. Kissing her. Touching her. And he had been so upset. He had thought, just for a second, to end it then. He thought he could just run them over. But he _needed_ her. She already belonged to him, even if she didn't know it herself.

Carol would know that everything he had done had been for her. That bitch waitress that he had overheard talking about her behind her back. He had been there at the bar that night, waiting in the shadows. The woman had been another filthy whore. Someone else that wasn't worthy to be in the same room as Carol. And the way she had spoken of Carol had made him want to vomit. But he had made her pay for what she had said. Carol would know. She would understand that he was all she would ever need.

Lori and Andrea embraced, causing him to clench his teeth together. Yes, Carol didn't need them in her life. She didn't need any more encouragement to act the way she was acting. She needed to go back to the way she had been.

His sweet Carol needed him to show her the way.

~H~

Carol and Buck ordered a pizza and then ate it straight out of the box, in the living room, without plates. Because, today anyway, Carol and Buck were rebels. She wasn't even using a coaster. She was being an absolute villain. She couldn't help but smile. She would have never been so upset over being stuck with Buck all day if she had known that he was so much fun. She felt like a child. Her own father had been a complete workaholic. He gave her anything she wanted except for his attention and she had always been understanding about it. Even when she was young she knew that he was doing the best he could for her. But Buck, at least to her, was absolutely perfect. The entire day seemed to have been about her. She still felt like a little kid.

Today was like one of those days she used to dream about having with her own father. After the trip to the grocery store they had sat around for a while and then suddenly, out of nowhere, he had grabbed her by the hand, led her out to the garage, and hopped onto his bike. She, of course, had stood there like a fool.

"You ever been on a bike before, darlin?" He had asked with a wicked grin.

When she told him no he had laughed and told her to get on. She had been terrified at first. As soon as they hit the country road he started flying. She had squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face into his back, holding onto him like he was the only thing keeping her from taking flight. She had heard his rumbling laughter even over the roar of the motorcycle and the rushing wind. She had eventually forced herself to raise her head and open her eyes, though the wind burned them, causing her to squint.

She hadn't felt such a rush since... Well, actually this was almost what it had been like in her room the other night with Daryl. It was a rush and it was scary and exciting and completely beyond her expectations. It was gratification on a very primal level and she_ loved_ it. She wanted her own bike, since she already had her own little band of bikers. That thought had caused her to laugh out loud and then she clamped her mouth shut. As unbelievable as all this was she wasn't ready to pick any bugs out of her teeth.

They stopped at a Krystals in the next town over so they could grab some lunch. The cashier was a cute girl with an Irish lilt to her voice. He had charmed her quickly into giving him her number. When she had looked pointedly at Carol with raised eyebrows he had just shrugged and introduced her as his daughter. Carol had laughed and rolled her eyes but that was all the girl needed to know. She introduced herself as Hannah and scribbled her number on a napkin. Buck seemed to be pretty pleased with himself.

They ended up stopping by a lake on their way home. She wasn't sure why but she was thrilled either way. The weather was perfect for it anyway so she didn't ask any questions. It felt good to be out of the house. And she had learned a great deal about the man as they sat there by the edge of the water.

His own father had been a brutal man. An alcoholic and a drifter who dragged Buck all over the south as he did odd jobs and peddled dope. Buck's mother had died having him, causing his father to go off the deep end. According to Buck, his mama had been the only thing his daddy had ever loved. And Buck had been the one to kill her. Buck took her away from his father and his father wasn't one to let something like that go.

He had been exposed to all sorts of violence and abuse. Not just a the hands of his dad but at the hands of any of his dads friends that thought beating up on a boy was a short cut to a good laugh. By the time Buck was fourteen he had ran off and lived on the streets in Savannah for a while. He'd survived by stealing, foraging, and eventually, selling drugs himself.

She was dying to know how he had met Merle and Daryl's mother but she wouldn't ask. He seemed to be speaking more to himself as he told her of his past. Like he had momentarily forgot that she was there to listen. She should have found it strange that he was telling her all of this, but she didn't. For some reason it just seemed natural to be sitting there, letting him tell her things he may have never shared with anyone else. She had to wonder if Daryl and Merle even knew these things. Or if it was just something that he was only willing to share with her.

She understood him better now. A little bit, anyway. And she hoped she would know the rest of his story some day. She wanted to know why, after suffering at the hands of his own father, did he do the same to his own boys. And did he hurt their mom also? No, she would never voice these questions, but they burned inside her all the same.

After quite an adventurous day she was now sprawled out on the couch, feeling nauseous at the gross amount of pizza she had consumed, with her legs draped over Bucks lap. They were watching the news, which she hated but he seemed interested in. She felt her eyelids growing heavy but something the anchorwoman said had her eyes snapping open and she sat up.

"...body found at a construction site yesterday was recently identified as that of nineteen year old local girl, Amy Bell..."

"Oh my God!" She gasped as she stared at the image of the smiling blonde on the screen. "I know her."

She glanced at Buck, who was watching her worriedly. "It's a small town, darlin'. Everybody knows everybody around here." He patted her leg.

She knew he was right but something was wrong here. This all just _felt_ too personal. "Buck, I think someone wants to kill me." She said in a low but frantic voice.

His eyes hardened and his hand tightened on her knee. "Ain't nobody gonna get the chance to lay a hand on ya, baby girl. It'd be best for you to remember that." He growled. "This ain't nothin' but some psycho pussy preyin' on women, you hear me?"

"But my dog..."

"Stop." he ordered. "Ain't no man out there got the balls to try to get past the three of us, even if someone was to get it in their head to hurt you. You should know that by now."

She felt herself growing calm. They wouldn't let anyone hurt her. She was fine, even if someone out there did, for whatever reason, want her dead. She tried to shake that thought. It really couldn't be true. If someone really wanted to kill her then that person would have rammed that big truck right into her and Daryl. But he had driven right by them. Only coming close enough to almost give her a heart attack.

He must have seen that she was calming down because that hard look vanished.

"I'm really glad you're here, Buck." She said softly.

He gave her a strange look and then smiled. "You know what, I think that's about the first time anybody has ever said that to me."

She eased herself back down and turned her head towards the television once more. She felt safe here. She was fine as long as one of them were with her.

Buck changed the channel before the commercial was over.

~H~

Daryl hated it when Merle drove. He either went too damn slow or too damn fast. Right now he was going too slow. It was getting late. He hadn't meant to stay gone as long as they had but they had gone much deeper into the woods than they had realized. It had taken them forever to get back to the truck. Merle was getting a little itchy so he was in a bad mood. Daryl hadn't told him about Dave coming by. He was almost sure that it wouldn't really have effected Merle's decision to quit, but _almost_ wasn't good enough. He would keep it from him for now.

They had been out for most of the day but neither of them had managed to kill shit. Merle had taken a .22 rifle but hadn't even fired it. Daryl had tried for a few squirrels but missed every time. His head just wasn't in it. They had mostly just enjoyed being outdoors. That was the one place Daryl had always been able to feel comfortable. No prying eyes and no judgmental glares from people he didn't even know. It was home to him. Or it had been. Now home was wherever she was.

"Wonder how Carol and Buck's day went?" Merle asked as he finally picked up a little bit of speed.

Daryl chuckled. "Hard tellin' with them two."

Merle just nodded. "You're easin' up on the ol' man a bit."

Daryl tensed. Had he been easing up on Buck? He hadn't noticed if he had. He knew why Carol wanted him to try. He even understood why Merle wanted him to try. But as far as Daryl was concerned, Buck had a long way to go before he earned any kind of acceptance from him. Daryl carried more scars than Merle did. He thought maybe he knew why but he wasn't sure. Maybe it was because Buck new that Merle was a lot like him and Daryl was nothing like the two. Maybe it was the fact that Daryl looked like the one person Buck had never been able to hold on too. Maybe it was just because Buck was a piece of shit drunk that felt like beating the shit out of his youngest kid just because he could. Or maybe, just maybe, somehow, Daryl had earned it. He shook that last thought from his mind.

Yeah, Buck definitely had a long way to go when it came to his youngest son.

"You know, the man really is tryin', little brother. Even you can see that." Merle muttered.

"Maybe the mother fucker should have made the effort to try before he bout killed me. Even _you_ gotta see that."

Merle shook his head. "You don't understand. He was outta his head. He didn't even know what he was doin' that night."

"I don't need his fuckin' excuses, Merle. I don't need yours either. Just shut up and drive the fuckin' truck. It's been a good day. No sense in you ruinin' it by openin' your mouth." He glared out the window.

"He regrets doin' that, little brother." Merle went on.

Daryl glared at him. "Yeah? Well, after him watchin' you last night I'm pretty sure he feels real bad about turnin' you into a goddamn junkie. But that didn't make last night any easier now, did it? I don't get you. You just sweep that shit under the rug. Fuck him. He can rot in hell."

"I know Carol wants you to let shit go."

Daryl couldn't believe he was still talking. And playing the Carol card was low. "That's cause she's too good to see him for what he really is."

Merle snorted. "You see how he is with her. She knows who he is. Who he is now anyway."

"Now don't matter, Merle." He muttered as he looked out the side window.

"Now is the only fuckin' thing that _can_ matter, boy. You best not forget that."

Daryl didn't say anything else. It wouldn't do him any good too. He could talk till he was blue in the face and Merle wouldn't drop it. When they finally pulled into the driveway he felt his heart start to pick up speed and his stomach felt all fucking trembly. What the fuck was wrong with him?

He jumped out and hurried up the porch steps. The house was dark, except for the light from the T.V.. Merle headed straight for the kitchen.

Carol and Buck were on the couch, her legs draped over his lap. She was asleep but Buck's eyes flashed up to meet his. Daryl nodded, Buck nodded back and then both their eyes went to her face. He was glad Buck was here, at the moment anyway. If for no other reason than to protect her. And he knew that Buck would. He couldn't help but wonder why it was so easy for Buck to walk into Carol's life and be the man that he couldn't ever be for him and Merle. Not that he cared. He would rather him be like that with her than him anyway. It was too late for the man to do anything for him.

"How long she been out?" Daryl asked quietly as he sat down in the chair across from them.

Buck shrugged. "About an hour. She talks in her sleep, ya know that?" Buck chuckled.

Daryl snorted. "Hell, no. She always ends up sleepin' with Merle's dumb ass."

"That comes with havin' Merle as a brother." Merle whispered from the doorway. "All your women will probably end up in bed with ol Merle baby brother." he winked.

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Fuck off."

"Probably need to get her to bed, boy. She got herself freaked out a little bit a while ago." Buck muttered as he met Daryl's eyes again. "That girl they found was somebody she knew."

Daryl felt his muscles tense. "Who was it?"

Buck just shrugged. "Amy somethin'. It was enough to spook her real good."

"Ain't that the girl that was tryin' to fuck ya last week?" Merle asked from the doorway.

Daryl frowned but nodded, causing Buck's eyebrows to shoot up. "You knew this girl too?" Buck asked.

"Went to school with her. I never talked to her till the other day."

Merle snorted. "Nah, he didn't just talk to her. She picked his ass right up outta the driveway. Had Carol all tore up. Didn't come back for about three hours."

Buck looked at him in disbelief. "What the fuck would you do that for? Boy ain't you got a goddamn clue how good of a woman you got? Jesus." He shook his head.

"That ain't what happened. Amy was gonna pay me to fix her car but turned out there wasn't even nothin' wrong with it. That was just a way for her to get me to go with her."

Merle laughed. "She wanted Daryl to take a long hard look under her hood."

"Goddamn, Merle, the girls dead. You can cut the jokes now." Daryl grumbled.

Merle just shrugged.

Buck shook Carol's legs and she sat straight up, blinking sleep from her eyes. When she looked up and spotted Daryl she grinned, causing another wave of that fucked up fluttery feeling to hit his stomach. He refused to call it butterflies. That was pussy stuff.

"Did you kill Flower?" She asked sleepily.

He shook his head. "Didn't kill a damn thing. I bet your ass is thrilled." He snorted.

"A little." She looked around then and frowned. "How long was I asleep?"

"Not long." Buck said as he laid his own head back into the cushion and yawned.

She swung her legs around so they were tucked under her and then she shocked them all by leaning over and kissing Buck on the jaw. "Thanks for today Buck. It was great."

Buck recovered quickly and gave her a small smile. "Any time, darlin'."

She got up then and headed towards the stairs. "Where the fuck's mine?" Merle called after her.

"Goodnight, Merle." She called over her shoulder.

"Night, Carol." He grinned even though he was starting to sweat and his hands trembled.

Daryl followed her. It was going to be another long night. He could tell that she was exhausted but he didn't think there was any way he could keep her from going to Merle's room. Not if Merle needed her. And Daryl knew that he did.

She was crawling into bed before he even made it to the doorway.

"When do you think we'll get a full nights sleep again?" She mumbled as she snuggled in deeper into her pillow.

He was stripping down to his boxers as he made his way to the bed. He turned off the light before he crawled in after her. "I don't know. Another few days probably. He ain't never made it this far."

"That's good. He's doin' real good." She mumbled.

She rolled over so she was facing him so he pulled her closer causing her to laugh quietly. She kissed him and then buried her head under his chin. "I missed you." She whispered.

He tightened his arm around her and smiled in the dark. "I missed you too.

It seemed like only seconds passed before her breathing evened out and he knew she was asleep.

**So now you know that, yes, this does all revolve around Carol. Why? Because she is awesome =) Thanks again for reading! I hope you all have a great Tuesday!**

**P.S. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to respond to everyones reviews yesterday. My computer was acting like a complete spazz and my email and everything else kept booting me out. I think it is all better now. It better be, anyway! **


	22. Chapter 22

**I kind of feel like I need to apologize for this chapter. I am really not a fan of it at all. It's sort of a filler I guess but some important things happen. Thank you Axelrocks, my lovely loyal friend, for your coffee house inspiration. It brought a little comedic relief to this chapter. That's something =) As for the last chapter, I know that our lovely killer was a bit heavy on the psycho. Like a mouth breathing spazz. That was my intent. Thank you all for reading! Have a great day =)**

Chapter Twenty Two

Lori was so happy she had ran into Andrea today. The woman had been so busy with helping Dale that she never had time for anything else. She had agreed to come over with a bottle of wine so that Lori wouldn't be stuck home alone again while Rick was on duty.

She saw headlights pull up in the driveway and she hurried to the front door, throwing it open before she even looked out to make sure it was Andrea. She was not disappointed. She stood on the porch holding up two bottles of wine, causing Lori to laugh as she opened the screen door.

"You're kidding!" She grabbed one of the bottles. "Boons farm? Really?"

Andrea kicked the door shut and made her way to the kitchen. "This was our drink, Lori. I decided a trip down memory lane was exactly what we needed."

Lori rolled her eyes as she put both bottles in the fridge. "Andrea, we were sixteen. Boons Farm is _everyones_ drink when they are sixteen.

"And ten years later it is going to be our drink once more." Andrea grinned at her as she leaned against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're impossible." Lori laughed.

"I know. How are you and Rick doing? With all this craziness going on around here I've been worried about you.

Lori felt her smile slip a little but she nodded. "It's hard. I miss him. When he isn't at the station him and Shane Walsh are here, trying to figure it out on their own. I think it really has him scared. He's always afraid for me to be alone now."

Andrea nodded solemnly. "I don't blame him. I'm worried about being alone myself. Karen was actually a friend of mine from the bar."

Lori gasped. "Oh my God. I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

Andrea held up a hand. "You couldn't have. It's okay. It's just scary. Nothing like this has ever happened here. This is one of those towns people move too to feel safe. I figured maybe what happened to Karen was a one time thing. Maybe an old jealous ex or something. But now that the other girl has turned up... well, I don't feel safe anymore."

Lori sighed. "I don't either. Hopefully Rick and Shane can figure this out quickly. They both should be detectives by now. With as hard as they are working this case."

Andrea shook her head. "It's funny how different they are now. Remember how flaky Rick was in school? And Shane?" She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"You dated Shane in high school." Lori accused as she hid a smile.

"Don't remind me." Andrea muttered dryly.

They made their way back to the living room while the wine chilled and sat down on the sofa. "You know," Lori said as she studied her nails, "At first, when Rick told me that Carol Peletier had moved the Dixon clan into her house, I thought she was surely insane. But I think she's the only one of us that really doesn't have anything to worry about." Her eyes met Andreas.

"You're kidding?" Andrea frowned. "I saw her with their father today. It wouldn't surprise me if it was one of them doing this." She almost sounded angry.

"Have you ever actually talked to any of them?" Lori asked, not sure why she felt compelled to defend the men.

Andrea raised her eyebrows. "Have you?"

Lori nodded. "We went over to Carol's for dinner last night."

Andrea stared at her with wide eyes. "With all those men there?"

"She called Shane and invited all three of us to have dinner with them. You know Rick. He wanted to get over there just to feel them out. I felt the same way. I hadn't ever thought about talking to any of them. They have always been a little scary so I was excited to go. I think Shane only went because he has a thing for Carol."

"And it went well?" Andrea pressed, clearly curious.

Lori nodded. "It really did. They were basically hilarious. A little rough around the edges but you could just tell by the way they looked at her that they all adore her. It was actually really sweet. I really do think that they are trying to shake off that bad reputation of theirs."

"Lori, Buck Dixon killed a man." Andrea said flatly.

Lori nodded. "I know that. I also know that he killed the man _after_ the man had shot him three times. Come _on_, Andrea. You're a lawyer. How in the world was that not self defense?"

"Do you think that's what happened to Ed? That the very man that killed his father, and the man's son's were moving in on his wife and it caused him to go off the deep end? Jesus, it's filled with more drama than a Lifetime movie. Is she sleeping with any of them?"

Lori stared at her for a few long moments, contemplating on how much she should spill. Finally she decided that her guess was better than what the rest of the town was speculating. She nodded. "I'm pretty sure that her and the youngest one have something going on."

"Did she say that?" Andrea asked.

Lori shook her head. "It's obvious. You know, the way they look at each other. It's actually kind of cute."

Andrea grinned. "Isn't the youngest one still a teenager?"

Lori scoffed. "I think he just turned twenty. She's twenty four. That isn't that scandalous."

"That's actually kind of hot. Maybe I'll try to find myself a younger man."

They both laughed.

After more idle chat and a few glasses of the wine they were about to settle in for a movie. Lori turned off the light and as soon as she did she thought she saw a shadow cross by the living room window.

"Andrea." She whispered, eyes growing wide. "I think there's someone out there."

Andrea smiled. "Are you trying to freak me out. I'm an adult now, Lori. I'm not going to fall for it."

Lori kept her eyes on the spot where she had last seen the movement. The shadow had stopped moving and was now at the far left corner of the window. "Andrea...I'm not trying to scare you."

Andrea finally took in Lori's expression and reached for her purse that was sitting next to the sofa. She reached her hand inside and pulled out a pistol. Her eyes were now on the same shadow that Lori was watching.

She released the safety.

The shadow moved just enough for them both to discern that it most definitely was a man.

"Call Rick, Lori. Now!" Andrea hissed.

Lori seemed to snap out of it. She snatched her phone off the table and called Rick's cell. She would call 911 after she knew her husband was on his way. As soon as he picked up the shadow reached out and seemed to be checking to see if the windows were unlocked. She knew that one of them, the one he wasn't trying yet, was definitely unlocked. She glanced down and saw that Andrea's face was an angry mask and the gun was aimed right at the man outside.

"Rick, there's someone trying to get in through the living room window."

As soon as those words were out of her mouth the other window was thrust upwards and then, as she screamed and dropped the phone, a shot rang out...

~H~

Carol woke up to an unfamiliar sound. She fought her way through the fog of sleep enough to become aware of her surroundings. Daryl's arm was still around her and it was still dark outside the windows. She pulled away from him enough to rub her eyes and listen more closely.

Sirens.

That wasn't a familiar sound around here. Every now and then she would hear a firetruck or ambulance, but from what she could tell these were police sirens and there were several of them wailing at once. She was still a bit disoriented when she stood up and went to the window. She couldn't see any lights. They must have been too far away, but definitely on this side of town.

It was then she remembered Merle. Why hadn't she woken up to that now familiar sound? He was usually in agony by now. She had been so tired that she had probably slept through it. She hurried to the door.

"Carol?" She heard Daryl's sleepy voice from the bed.

"I have to go check on Merle." She said quickly, feeling a knot in her stomach.

He swiped a hand across his face and then sat up all the way. "I'll be there in a minute." He muttered.

She found herself going back to the bed. She kissed him quickly and then was out the door. Buck was coming out of his room just as she was walking by his door.

"Somethin's happened. Damn sirens woke me up." He grumbled.

She nodded. "Me too." She said as she passed him and slipped into Merle's room.

He was lying on his back with his arms folded behind his head. The bedside table lamp was on. His eyes met hers and he smiled slightly and then she was suddenly filled with dread. Had he gotten his hands on more drugs? But then she shook the thought when she saw the waste basket pulled up close to where he was lying and the thin sheen of sweat that covered his skin.

"Thought I was with it enough to keep myself quiet this time." he rasped.

She shook her head as she went to the bed. "You didn't wake me up." She said quietly. "The sirens did. How is it tonight?" She sat down and turned so her back was against the headboard. She felt his forehead. Cold and damp.

"Go on back to bed, Carol. You're gonna make my brother jealous if you don't quit climbin' in bed with me every night." He smiled but it didn't last.

"I think he's fine with it. For now anyway." She kept her hand on his face.

He rolled his eyes up to look at her. "Go back to bed." He demanded.

"Merle Dixon, are you really gonna kick a woman out of your bed? I'm shocked." She smiled.

He grumbled something but she didn't catch it. She scooted down until she was lying next to him. He glared at her.

"Are you really feeling okay?" She asked after he finally shrugged and looked away.

"Everything hurts. I'm burnin' up and freezin' to death but Ed ain't here and I ain't got sick but once. I'm fine enough to where you can go on to your room. I ain't no baby."

"I told you guys the same thing today. And none of you would listen to me." She grouched but she didn't make a move to leave his bed.

They both looked up as the door opened and Daryl came in. She heard Merle huff once more and then he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Scoot." Daryl ordered her as he stood at the side of the bed with his hands on his hips. All he was wearing was a pair of jeans and a scowl.

"Goddamn it, would you two get the hell out?" Merle growled as he scooted himself over to the other side of the bed.

Carol made room and then Daryl laid down on his back next to her. She couldn't help it. She started laughing. She was probably just giddy from sleep deprivation but she didn't care. She found this hilarious. It was even worse when she looked from one brother to the other and they were both staring at her with matching scowls on their faces.

"The hell's goin' on in here?" Buck asked as he came in.

"Mother fuck!" Merle growled some more. "All of ya, get the fuck outta here. Jesus!"

Buck eyed them all and then shook his head. "You three are enough to worry a man, you know that? Carol, get outta Merle's bed. He's fine."

Carol looked over at Merle, who was now looking at her. "You sure?" She asked.

He nodded. "Probably just gonna sleep the rest of this off. I'll be fine."

She was tired. Very tired. And soon they would give her and Daryl the okay to go back to work. She figured they had better get as much rest as they could. She was still worried about Merle but he did look like he was doing much better. He was coherent, which was something. Usually by this time of night he was in really bad shape. With a weary sigh she gave up and headed back to her room with Daryl.

"It's almost over." Daryl said as he laid down next to her once more.

"It isn't taking as long as I thought it would." She mumbled into his chest.

She felt his hand in her hair and smiled to herself. Right before she fell once more into sleep her brow furrowed. Her panic over Merle had her forgetting what had gotten her out of bed in the first place.

"Daryl?" She muttered.

"Hmmm." was his only response.

"What do you think coulda happened tonight?" She whispered. "Why so many sirens?"

She felt him shrug. "No clue. Long as it ain't got nothin' to do with Merle then it ain't my problem."

"You think they found another body?"

His arm went around her then but he didn't answer her. She fell back to sleep with that unanswered question lingering at the back of her mind.

~H~

Daryl really fucking hated this. This was total bullshit. Every goddamn person that walked by was staring at them like they were circus freaks. Her and her big blue weepy eyed bullshit! He should have grew a pair and told her to go to hell as soon as she suggested this. This was just stupid.

They were sitting outside. All four of them. At a _coffee house_. A frilly ass coffee house. It didn't matter that they had coffee at home, where they could drink it in relative peace. Nope. That wasn't good enough for Carol. She wanted to go out. And who the fuck had to be there to indulge her? Buck fucking asshole Dixon. The dynamics in that house were getting all twisted up.

Buck seemed to be the one in charge. How the fuck had that even happened? It was Carol's house. Carol was his... whatever the hell she was to him. Merle was Daryl's baggage, someone for him to take care of, and Buck basically moved himself in without even asking.

"How's your coffee?" Carol asked from across the small round table.

"Same as it woulda been if I'd poured it myself at home. Black." He growled as he glared at her.

She smiled and then glanced at Buck. He could swear that she looked smug. All three of them had ordered black coffee, which the man behind the counter had most likely spit in, but she had to go and order something fancy with a gross amount of sugar and ten inches of whipped cream on top. Merle kept stealing drinks of it when he thought no one was looking.

"It isn't that bad, Daryl." She said and then he felt her small foot rub up his calve.

He raised one eyebrow. "Yeah it is."

"Every person that walks by starts gawkin' at us like we're naked or somethin'." Merle grumbled.

At least Merle was on his side. Carol was becoming a lot of things to all of them. Like this morning, before he was even all the way awake, she had climbed right on top of him like she had done that night when she had come to his room. Except this time clothes came off. It had been hot as fuck. Then as soon as they went downstairs she'd started acting like a bratty little sister. Like a spoiled ass kid that knew she was going to get her way as soon as she started doe eying Buck.

She had wanted to go out. He had wanted to stay in. She had thrown a bitchy tantrum and then Buck had stepped in. And what the hell could he do then with both of them on his back. And now here him and Merle sat, drinking spit laden coffee, while the whole town stared on in shock.

"This makes us look good, boy. It ain't gonna kill ya to act normal." Buck said as he took a sip. Daryl silently hoped they spit in his the most.

"What next then, Buck? We gonna go stroll through the park so all the townsfolk can see that we ain't out robbin' banks?" Daryl muttered.

"That really is a good idea." Carol beamed.

"When we get home I'm checkin' Merle's stash cause if you think for one goddamn second I'm doin' that then you're fuckin' high!" Daryl hissed.

She narrowed her eyes at him from across the table but he just crossed his arms over his chest.

"What the fuck!" Merle nearly yelled.

A girl had bumped into him on accident, causing his nose and mouth to dip into the whipped cream from Carol's coffee that he had been stealing another drink from. And of course, Carol grabbed a napkin and was trying to get the stuff off of his face.

"Goddamn it, I got it." he snapped as he snatched the napkin away and wiped the mess off his face, except for a little still on his cheek.

Carol tried to hide the smile on her face when she used her finger to wipe off the last smudge. He slapped at her hand. "Would ya fuckin' quit it." He half turned in his chair, face an angry mask as he was about to give somebody hell for running into him like that. "Why don't you watch where the fuck... Oh."

The girl that had backed into him was young and looked about half scared to death. Her eyes were large and fearful and her hand was covering her mouth. She pulled it away and then Daryl thought he vaguely recognized her. Probably another girl from school.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't watchin' where I was goin'. Are you okay?"

"No need to get your nerves wound up, darlin'. Takes a bit more than a little thing like you to hurt a big man like myself."

Daryl could have sworn him and Buck both groaned at the same time. Carol watched Merle with a small smile. She had apparently never seen him in action before.

She seemed to relax but only a little. She took a deep breath and held out a small hand. "I'm Beth. Beth Greene."

He took the hand in his and grinned. "Merle. Merle..."

"Dixon. I know." She said as she pulled her hand away.

"Oh, ya know of me, huh?" He said dryly.

She nodded her head and tucked some loosed hair behind her ear.

"And what do you know about ol' Merle?" He asked, watching her closely.

She glanced around until her eyes landed on Carol, who gave her a small wave. "I know that if my daddy knew I was talkin' to you right now he'd never let me leave the farm again. I best go." She started to walk away but then she turned again and gave Merle a shy smile. "It was nice to meet ya."

"You know that girl?" Merle asked Daryl as soon as she left the coffee shops enclosed patio.

Daryl nodded. "Had a few classes with her I think."

"So she's legal?" He grinned.

"Jesus, Merle. Do you ever stop?" Daryl grumbled.

"Pfft, hell nah, baby brother." He slapped Daryl on the back.

Great. Now he was the only one that was still miserable sitting there.


	23. Chapter 23

**Good morning! I had a lot to cover in this chapter so it is a bit longer than some of the others. I had a very specific request from one of my absolute favorite women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting on this site. You'll know who you are once you get to the smut. Which, by the way, is towards the end of this chapter. I like to warn you in case some of you don't want to read it. You can skim over that part =) This took me forever to write so I must give a huge thank you to the amazing, energy drink consuming, talented axelrocks! Cheers my friend. I know I have a lot more to cover and many promises to keep but i am beat. It's bedtime for me! Thank you all for reading! Much love! =) Oh, and sorry if you run across a bunch of typos! I'm quite bleary eyed!**

Chapter Twenty Three

Andrea glared from Shane to Rick. "You can't be serious." She said once more. She had been saying that a lot. "You found nothing?"

"We already told you. We're sorry, but you must have missed." Rick said quietly. "There was no blood anywhere."

"I wasn't ten feet away!" Her hands went to her hips. She knew none of this was their fault but she couldn't help but feel enraged. She couldn't stop glaring. She had been so sure that she had at least grazed the creep. Shane and Rick had shown up in record time, followed by every other available cruiser in the county.

Rick placed a reassuring hand on Andrea's shoulder. "Andrea, it happens. Especially if you haven't done much shooting."

She knew that it was an overreaction, but she really did feel embarrassed. Her father had given her the gun as a gift when she had first went off to college. She had never felt threatened enough to actually carry the weapon until recently. She had never bothered to really learn how to shoot it. She could have ended all of this last night. How many other girls were going to get hurt just because her aim was off? The thought really did sicken her.

She blew some stray hair out of her face and sat down at her kitchen table. "I can't believe this."

Shane took a seat across from her and covered her hand with his. She didn't mind the contact. Any other day she would have jerked her hand away from his but today she kind of needed it. "You did real good. I know what you're thinkin' and you need to get that out of your head. It ain't your job to save the world."

She looked up and met his eyes. They were the same ones she had known for almost her whole life, but their was an understanding in them now that she was grateful for. "I could have stopped him." She said angrily.

"You probably did. For a while anyway. He'll think now before tryin' to come in someones house. You probably had him pissin' himself."

She smiled bitterly. "That doesn't count for much, Shane. Not when other women could get hurt." She looked up at Rick, who was still leaned against the wall. "Is there any way that it could have been a different guy? Maybe last night was your average break in." She didn't want to think that this psycho had been right there in front of her. She didn't want to think that she had let him get away.

Shane squeezed her hand and then moved his away. "It's unlikely. Whoever is doin' this probably knows that Rick is gone all night and Lori is alone. He coulda been stakin' out the place, seen you comin' and then figured you would both be an easy target. Clearly the creep don't know you well." He offered her a half smile.

"Do the two of you really think this is Ed Peletier? Do you really think he's crazy enough to do something like this?"

Shane's face went hard. "It don't make much sense. He's a danger but only to his wife. This ain't Ed's MO. He's a woman beater and a coward. I think if he saw a dead body he would faint. But we just don't know. He hasn't shown up anywhere. No one's heard anything from him."

"Lori can't stay alone anymore, Rick. Not until this is over." Andrea said as she stood to walk them to the door. "She can stay with me. You can do what you need to do. You can pick her up in the mornings on your way home."

"I appreciate it, Andrea. I really do. But I don't like the thought of either of you alone." Rick said as he stepped out onto the landing.

Andrea smiled sarcastically. "So we aren't completely safe until we have a big strong man around to protect us from the villains?" She crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame.

Shane chuckled. "Call us if you need anything ma'am." He tipped his hat dramatically and they walked away, leaving her standing there, squinting in the late morning sunlight. She was suppose to have coffee with her uncle Dale. She knew she was running late.

She grabbed her purse, with the gun tucked safely inside, and headed out. Double checking that the door was locked. She knew Dale would be at the bar. She was thinking about driving but it was only a few blocks away and, despite her terrifying night, it was a beautiful morning. There were people meandering about, mowing lawns and walking dogs. She felt safe enough to make the short trek into town.

Dale, of course, was so busy going over paperwork that he had forgotten all about their coffee date to begin with. But he had a ready smile for her when she reminded him.

"Let's go. I'll help you with all this when we get back." She smiled warmly as he took off his glasses and wiped at the lenses with the hem of his shirt.

"You do to much helping out around this place as it is." He said as he put on his hat.

"I don't mind helping, Dale." She said as she looped her arm through his.

He smiled fondly and patted her hand. "I know you don't. That's why you're my favorite."

They both laughed as they headed out into the sunshine.

~H~

Carol felt a little bit bad every time she looked at Daryl. He was miserable and it was all her fault but that angry look on his face was actually pretty cute. And he was right. People were staring at them but that was the point. She wanted them to stare at them. She wanted them to see them out instead of hiding inside like a bunch of hermits.

This was a good thing. He just couldn't see that yet. But she knew he would come around.

"I gotta go take a piss." Merle announced as he stood up.

Buck stood up with him. "Me too."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at them both. They were still learning, she supposed.

When they were gone she caught Daryl glaring at her once more.

"Are you still mad?" She asked sweetly.

He blew out a breath. "I don't like feelin' like a sideshow freak. And that's all we are."

She shook her head. "That isn't true. You guys have just never tried before."

He met her eyes then. "Ain't had a reason too before."

She felt her stomach do a strange little flip at those words and then, not caring who was looking, or that they were in the middle of a very public place, she leaned across the table, snaked her hand around the back of his head and pulled him towards her. She kissed him, making sure that it was a lingering kiss. If they wanted something to look at then by god she would give them something to look at. When she finally pulled back he opened his eyes and leaned back in the chair.

His gaze flicked towards all of the people around them and then finally, after turning a nice shade of red, they landed on her. She smiled. "Screw them. Let them stare if its what they want."

He ducked his head a bit but she caught the smile on his face before he did. He needed to know that these people didn't matter. He mattered.

"Carol?"

She looked up and there stood Andrea and Dale. She was smiling but her eyes kept moving towards Daryl.

"Hi, Andrea." She made sure to keep the smile on her own face even though she could tell by the look in Andrea's eyes that the other two Dixon men were making their way back. She didn't like them. It was obvious.

"How are you?" Andrea finally asked when their eyes met once more.

Carol watched her carefully. "I'm doing fine, considering. Those sirens woke us up last night though. Do you have any idea what that was about? I haven't heard anything today."

Carol could see the change in Andrea's face even though it was obvious the woman was trying to remain calm. But the smile froze and her eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't answer for quite a few seconds.

Merle and Buck finally rejoined them, both offering Dale their hand. Dale looked stunned at first but then quickly shook theirs. More people stared on, some still open mouthed over Carol's blatant public show of affection.

It seemed then, after glancing from one Dixon to the next, Andrea decided to speak.

"Someone tried to force their way into Lori's house last night. I was there and was able to chase them away." She said, squaring her shoulders. She ignored Dale's stunned gasp and then watched all three Dixon's closely.

Carol was stunned silent for a second. Her and Andrea wasn't close and she had just met Lori, but she liked them both. She hoped that they would eventually become friends. To think that the women had been close to getting hurt was more than disturbing to her. She was looking for her voice but Buck was talking before she could find it.

"Scared him away? How did you manage that?" He asked, clearly curious.

"With a gun. I let off a shot but I missed. He ran away." She seemed very bothered by admitting her failure.

Merle let out a low whistle. "Good thing you was over there. That coulda ended real ugly for that little lady."

Andrea studied Merle the longest, until Buck spoke up once more. "You ever had any trainin' with a weapon, Miss?" He was nothing but polite which seemed to catch Andrea off guard.

It was obvious that she was trying to figure them out. Her gaze held Buck's for a long time before she shook her head. "No."

He looked from Andrea back to Carol. "That's somethin' I didn't even think about. You need a gun, darlin'. And I can teach ya how to use it."

She looked at him like he was insane. She hadn't ever thought about owning a gun before. And why not? She had went and gotten herself a dog instead of a gun. How stupid was she? "I don't need a gun. It isn't like any of you leave me alone." She said flatly.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to find Andrea looking down at her, her expression intense. "He's right. You and Lori should both get yourselves a gun. These men aren't going to be around forever. You should be able to protect yourself. You should have had one long before now." She said, mirroring Carol's earlier thoughts.

"I've never even held a gun." She muttered.

"Carol, Lori could have been killed last night. I know we don't know each other too well but really, I care enough to not want what happened to those other women to happen to you."

"She's right." Daryl said from across the table. He had been silent until now.

She bit her lip and then looked back up at Andrea and nodded. "Okay. When I get my first check I'll get a gun." She glanced at Buck. "As long as you can teach me how to not shoot any of you with it."

Andrea removed her hand from Carol's shoulder. "How about I join you then? I can really use the practice. Apparently I can't hit the broad side of a barn." She said dryly.

Carol nodded and then they said their goodbyes. She was really disappointed that Daryl didn't want to go to the park. It was a nice day but she wouldn't push it. As they left she was shocked when he grabbed her hand and twined his fingers through hers. She hid a small smile as eyes followed them all the way to her car.

~H~

He couldn't believe she had done that. There had been a shit ton of people looking and she had kissed him right there in front of every single one of them. Acting as if she didn't give a damn what the hell they thought. And he knew then that she really didn't. She acted like those people didn't matter at all. It didn't matter if she had been a complete ass, dragging him out when she knew he only wanted to keep himself separate from all those people. She had pretty much given every single one of them the finger right there at that table.

As the day progressed and she made up excuse after excuse to not go home he finally decided that it wasn't only the fact that she wanted them to be out of the house so they could make some sort of impression to the townsfolk, she was flat out fucking bored. He didn't really blame her. He kind of felt the same way.

But eventually they had ran out of things to do. There was still no way in hell he was going to go on some stroll through the park like some silly ass teenager. Maybe some day. But right now, bored or not, he was ready to get back to the house. He hadn't ever lived anywhere that he enjoyed before. He didn't mind being home now.

Merle and Buck wanted to stop off at the junkyard outside of town to talk to a guy they knew that dealt in used bike parts. Apparently they owed Buck money. When they got there the owner had told Buck to go ahead and sift through some of the motorcycle parts they had. While they were looking around him and Carol had stayed in the car.

As soon as Buck and Merle disappeared into the building she was all over him. He was learning not to be surprised by anything she did anymore. He was starting to think that deep down, Carol was a real freak. When they heard Buck and Merle approaching the car once more she pulled away and sat back down.

"The fuck ya back there pantin' bout, little brother?" Merle asked as he closed the passenger door.

"I ain't." He grumbled.

Merle turned in his seat and raised one eyebrow. "Whatever you say."

"Did you guys get anything good?" Carol asked, changing the subject quickly.

"Not yet but they got their eyes out." Merle said as he turned in his seat.

They went home after that. The day dragged by, as boring as ever. If he knew he wouldn't miss her so much he would have went hunting again. But he knew she would hate it so he wouldn't even ask her to come along and he wasn't in the mood to hang out with just Merle. So they did what had become normal for them. Him, Buck and Merle went out to the garage while she stayed in and started cooking. He never had a whole lot to say when they were out there. He usually just kept his mouth shut and listened to whatever they had to ramble on about.

"Looks like she ain't gonna give up on tryin' to may us all look like upstandin' citizens." Merle laughed as he tossed Daryl a beer.

Daryl just grunted and leaned against the car.

"Y'all think it's workin'?" Merle asked as he downed half a can in a few long swallows.

Daryl shrugged and then tensed when he noticed Buck watching him. "What?" He growled.

Buck just shook his head. "Why you always so quiet?"

"Cause he ain't got much to bitch about. That's all he used to do. If he wasn't bitchin' he was all quiet. Now he's just quiet a lot. Havin' nothin' to bitch about causes him to turn into a mute." Merle shrugged.

"I got plenty to bitch about." Daryl said dryly, glancing towards Buck and then looking past him towards the shelves full of tools.

"Like what?" Buck asked, watching him wearily.

He wasn't about to get into this. He knew it was coming but he didn't want to deal with it at the moment. The day had gone pretty good. No sense in fucking it up talking to Buck. Sometimes he tried to get along with the man but tonight wasn't one of those nights. Trying to act like they were normal all day had only made him think of how fucked up they all were and it was mostly Buck's fault. No, it was _all_ Buck's fault. The man was nothing but a walking talking fuck up. He was somebody who should disappear.

Daryl just shook his head and walked out of the garage. No. He would let it go again. He wasn't doing this now. He wasn't doing this here. He walked in silently. She was doing her thing, her back to him, stirring something. How could somebody so young be so damn domesticated? Watching her at least made him stop thinking about Buck.

When she finally turned and saw him standing there she gasped. He had been able to sneak up right behind her.

"You scared me!" She griped as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel.

"You need to pay more attention then." He gave her a half smile but he couldn't hold it.

She frowned as she studied his face. "What's wrong?" She asked.

He shrugged. Nothin' you wanna here about."

She sighed and then put her hands on her chest and tipped her head up to look at him. "Can't you just try?" She asked, pleading with her eyes.

He nodded. "I'm tryin'. I ain't caused him to beat my ass yet."

"Daryl he wouldn't do that." She said quietly.

He shook his head and then put his hands on her hips. "There's a whole lot about Buck you don't know about."

"I know that he loves you and Merle and I know he'd do anything for me even though he barely knows me. Are you ever going to be able to let the past go?"

He rolled his eyes and dropped his hands. "You sound like Merle."

"You know, my dad's dead. I'd do anything to get to go and hang out with him in a garage. You have that still. Everything is right there in front of your face and your just letting it all slip away."

"Buck's been dead. He's been dead to me for a long time. Asshole just don't know how to stay buried." he turned then and walked out. God, every time he turned around he was getting shit from her and Merle over Buck and if he wasn't he was having to deal with Buck himself. He sat on the couch and chewed his nail until he heard her yelling out the back door for them. He made his way back to the dining room, where she forced them all to eat.

Dinner was quiet other than Merle's attempts to ease the tension. All three of them kept casting him uneasy glances, like he was the dickhead here. He just kept his eyes down and ate in silence. Sometimes it got like this. Other times it wasn't so bad. The way all those people had been looking at them today was bound to make the night a mess.

"Y'all think you'll get to go back to work any time soon?" Merle asked. Daryl wasn't even sure who he was asking but Carol answered.

"I talked to Morgan today. We can go back Monday."

"Too bad I only got one days worth of pay comin'." Daryl grumbled.

"Ain't no sense in worryin' about money, boy. I can scrounge up enough to keep us alive." Buck said.

Daryl's head shot up then. "How the fuck you gonna do that? You sellin' dope on the side or somethin'?"

"Daryl." Carol admonished but he ignored her.

Buck eyed him calmly, leaning back in his chair. "I got a little bit stashed away. I wasn't gonna move in here and not pay my share." He said in a tone that sent Daryl's teeth on edge.

"Humph. Figured that was exactly what you was plannin' actually. Why the fuck not, right?" He was pissed but he knew he needed to shut his mouth. He wasn't going to do this here. He had to keep telling himself that.

"Maybe you should calm your ass down. No need in startin' shit, son." Buck's voice was like ice.

"Maybe you need to stop with the son bullshit, Buck. That's Merle, not me." He spat.

"Goddamn, Daryl. Shut up, man." Merle was giving him a warning look from across the table. And that did it. Even Merle was still scared of what Buck would do if his buttons were pushed.

He laughed bitterly, anger dripping from the sound. "Why? You scared he's gonna crack my fuckin' skull again?" He shot Buck another glare. "That what you gonna do if I don't shut my fuckin' mouth Buck? Go ahead. Show her who the fuck you are." his voice was getting louder and louder.

Daryl stood up then, Buck stood up at the same time.

"Fuck." Merle groaned as he stood as well.

Daryl was breathing hard and his teeth were clenched. He glared at Buck who just kept looking at him with that calm expression on his face that made all of this that much worse. Why was he trying so hard now? Why hadn't he tried back when it mattered. And why in the fuck couldn't the three of them see that now, it didn't matter at all. Nothing he did was gonna take away those fucking scars. Nothing he did was gonna take away the fact that he had tried to kill him. Why couldn't he have just stayed in prison where he had belonged?

He was ready now. He had been telling himself not to do this here but that wasn't working. This was where it was going to happen. She was going to see it happen and then she would finally shut the fuck up and stop trying to get him to accept Buck. He couldn't. As soon as he let his guard down Buck was going to shatter his whole world. It was what Buck did.

"Daryl." She whispered from beside him. He hadn't even seen her get up. He couldn't look at her.

"Don't stop now. I know ya got more than that in ya boy." Buck growled from across the table. "Get it off your chest so you can finally let it the fuck go."

"Fuck you!" Daryl snarled.

"Please stop." Carol begged and he felt her hand on his arm. He wretched his arm away and took a few steps back.

Buck was coming around the table now. Daryl's heart was pounding hard in his chest. Merle was right behind Buck. Daryl backed up, knowing full well what was about to happen and a part of him was glad. This was going to be something familiar. This was going to be like a real father son reunion.

But he wasn't gonna let it happen like he did when he was a kid. He was gonna go out swinging.

"Buck if you touch him I swear to God I wont have no choice but to slit your fuckin' throat." Merle growled. This stunned Daryl a bit. He wasn't expecting that.

But Buck ignored him.

"Don't do this, Buck." Carol's voice was barely there. He still wouldn't look at her.

He was still about two feet away when he finally stopped. That was as close as Daryl was going to let him get. It was fight or flee in his mind and he was going to fight. He lunged at Buck then, his fist landing solidly against a jaw that felt like a fucking brick. But he didn't stop. He was going to get in as many licks as he could before Buck fucked him up.

Four more times he hit him and every time Bucks head whipped right back around, ready for the next blow.

He felt arms go around him then as Merle pulled him back. Buck still stood there. He had blood streaming down from where Daryl had hit him in the eyebrow, a good sized tear in his skin. The corner of his mouth was a little bloody. He still hadn't moved.

"You done now?" Buck asked as he wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand.

Daryl was running on pure adrenalin and rage now. He wasn't done. Maybe if he put the bastard in a coma for a few days they would be even. He tried to squirm out of Merle's grip but Merle just grunted and held on, even when Daryl threw an elbow into his ribs.

"Quit it you squirmy little fucker." Merle growled into his ear.

He stopped. There was one thing that could make him stop and she stepped right between him and Buck. He let Merle pull him back about a foot. She was crying. He had let all of the shit he had been trying to keep locked up out and he'd hurt her. He tried to swallow down that rage but it was too thick. Clotted and stinking in the back of his throat like four year old blood. Four years. He shook his head.

"Are you finished now?" She asked as she tried to keep herself together and wipe tears off her cheeks.

Buck was still standing there and she turned to him then. Daryl needed to get the fuck out of here. He'd fucked up pretty bad. Buck hadn't tried to hit him back. Hell, he hadn't even tried to stop him. He wondered how long the man would have taken it?

Merle must have known it was over because he loosened his grip enough for Daryl to pull free. He stormed past Buck and Carol. He had to get out. He wasn't sure where he was going to go but he had to go somewhere. He had to get away from them. Ever since Buck showed up Daryl was the odd man out. He was the one that didn't fit into their new found family unit. He was the one that had fucked up and he wanted nothing more than to get the hell away from them. Away from this house. Away from her.

He snatched the keys to his bike off the counter by the back door. He still felt like he could rip Buck's face off but he was finished. He'd made his point and that was that. But he had to get away. Figure out a way to burn off all that angry energy he was filled with. His hands were still shaking badly. He knew his knuckles were bleeding but he couldn't feel any pain yet.

He didn't have to turn on the lights to the garage after he got the door unlocked and stepped inside. He knew where his bike was and so he went straight to it and mounted it quickly. He knew Merle would be out soon. Carol would be too busy patching Buck up. He scowled.

"You're leaving?"

He whipped his head around at the sound of her voice. "Get back in the house." He growled.

"I stopped taking orders from men a while back ago." She snapped. "Why did you do that?"

He shoved the key in the ignition but then, suddenly, she was right there. He couldn't see her well in the dark garage but she must have been able to see okay because she snatched the keys away and actually threw them.

"You don't get to do what you did and then run away. Tell me why you did that?" She sounded angry.

He swung his leg over the bike and actually backed her up with his body. He would die before he ever laid a hand on her in anger. He'd never touch her like that. But she wasn't going to back down and neither was he. If she was afraid of him then she would let it go and he could get out.

"Because he's a no good piece of shit." He growled.

"He's changed." She said shakily. Her body stopped moving when she hit the front of the car and she gasped a little when she realized that he was right there, anger pouring off of him in waves, hands trembling, and she had no where to go to get away.

He brought his face close to hers. "Get in the goddamn house." She was breathing heavily, it made him sick to think she was scared but he needed her scared so she would let him go.

"I'm not afraid of you." She whispered in a shaky voice.

He pressed his forehead to hers but before he could bark out another order for her to leave him alone she kissed him so hard he thought he tasted blood. He was still way to out of control to do this right now. His head was all fucked up. All he wanted to do was inflict pain on something and the only thing close enough was her. And he wouldn't hurt her but she wasn't letting him go. Her hands were in his hair and then they were suddenly gone. He started kissing her back, rougher than he would have liked but he was having trouble with his thought process.

She yanked his shirt up over his head and then he found himself doing the same. His head was reeling, rage still pumping through him with every angry beat of his heart and then his hands found her bare skin and that rage and adrenalin was spiked with something else. Something viciously primal. But she was matching him move for move. His hands gripping her hard as their tongues fought for dominance. She felt breakable under his touch but he was unable to be gentle.

"You really think I'd let you take off like that? That was a real piece of shit thing to do." She hissed and then she sank her teeth into his shoulder. It should have hurt. But Jesus, it felt good.

"Do you ever shut up?" He growled into her ear as his fingers dug into her waist and then he quickly undid the button on her jeans.

"Go to hell." She snapped as she struggled with his belt. When she had it off she tossed it. "Do you ever stop acting like an asshole?" her hands went to his own button.

He claimed her mouth once more and then groaned when her teeth clamped down on his bottom lip. That rage was ebbing but the adrenalin was still there. That wasn't going anywhere. His hand tangled up in her hair and he jerked her head back, exposing her throat. He returned the favor but much more carefully than she had. His shoulder was actually starting to throb where she had nearly taken a chunk out of him. That definitely wasn't the only thing throbbing. He felt like some kind of wild animal. He needed some kind of release and since she wouldn't let him take off on the bike she was giving him what he needed in another way. Smart girl. His tongue snaked out and dipped into the hollow between her collar bones.

"You still thinking about leaving?" She panted.

He didn't answer her. She was kicking her jeans off. His head was filled with so many conflicting emotions that it was strange that most of his focus zeroed in on the fact that she was there, completely exposed. With his hand still wrapped into her hair he shocked them both by spinning her around and then pushing against her. His hands eased up so he wasn't gripping her painfully. He slid his arms around her so he could slip his hand between her legs.

She leaned her back harder into his chest when his fingers brushed against her. Her breath was coming out in ragged gasped as his fingers lightly grazed her skin.

"Stop acting like your scared of it Daryl." She growled. "You know what to do with it by now."

His eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped at that. If anything could pierce through the fog in his brain it was her saying something like that. He grinned wickedly and pushed her face down until she was bent over the hood of the car. He used his leg to nudge hers further apart. She obliged almost eagerly, grinding herself against him. He needed no more prompting than that.

She cut off her own cry when he pushed inside her. She was gripping him so hard that he was almost afraid to move any further. He wasn't sure if it would hurt her, even though she was still like liquid heat inside. She started moving herself, causing him to growl low in his throat. He grabbed her hips, not as roughly as before but still more firmly than he normally would.

He really wished it hadn't been so dark in the garage because she was definitely writhing all over the hood of that car and he was sad to only be able to see the outline of her. He lifted one of her legs up until it was propped up on the front bumper. She brought her head up then.

"Don't stop." She whimpered.

Oh fuck.

"Daryl..." His name escaped her lips as a barely there whisper.

Holy shit.

"Oh my God." She breathed right before she clamped her hand over her mouth.

What the fuck? The muscles inside her coiled around him like a sadistic snake come to drain the life out of him and then uncoiled just to do it again even harder a second later, muscles nearly vibrating around him and then an insane rush of heat that had him slamming his hand down on the hood of the car just to keep himself upright as he joined her with a shocked gasp of his own. His fucking eyes were crossing before they were both finished.

He finally eased himself out of her slowly and then she rolled over quickly so when he finally let himself fall onto her his cheek rested against her stomach and her fingers were trailing lazily through his hair while they both tried to catch their breath.

He had no fight in him now. He was completely spent and now that his head was clear he started feeling awful. The way he had treated her. Nearly threatening her. What the fuck was wrong with him? Not to mention how rough he had been with her. Guilt was suddenly overriding the strange calm he was feeling only a few moments ago.

He kissed her stomach lightly. "I'm sorry." He whispered, almost too softly for her to hear. Her hands stilled in his hair.

"For what?" She sounded genuinely curious, like she had missed every fucked up thing he had done tonight.

"For actin' like a total son of a bitch."

"To me or to..."

"To you." He grumbled and then lifted his head.

They got dressed quickly but Daryl's legs still felt like jello. He still didn't know what the hell that was. Maybe she really did love that car as much as he did. He shook his head at the thought.

She stopped him in the doorway with a hand on his arm. "Daryl, you're going to have to talk to him. He proved himself tonight. He stood there and let you..."

"Not tonight, Carol. I will. I'll talk to him but not right now." He whispered as he pulled her closer and kissed her lightly.

"Do you think you can try to work it out? You made him bleed." She held on to his hand as they climbed the back porch steps.

He glanced back at her, almost feeling sick for the way he had acted, not just to her either. He still couldn't believe that Buck had stood there and let him hit him like that. Not that the bastard didn't deserve it, but maybe he really was trying and maybe Daryl did need to let shit go. Their lives weren't like they were. Things were better. Things were actually pretty fucking amazing. He had a home, Merle was damn near completely off the shit. He had her. Maybe he could even have a chance at having a dad for the first time in his life.

He tried to fight off the spark of hope that flared inside of him. Hope only led to heartbreak in his world. She gave his hand a squeeze before she dropped it and turned to lock the door behind her.


	24. Chapter 24

**This chapter isn't very exciting but very very necessary. This explains Buck's actions which I am sure has had everyone curious. Although it lacks any real action I hope you all enjoy reading it anyway. A lot of times things happen in a story and at first they don't make much sense, but those things can't always be explained right away. I had to wait to get into Buck's head and explain his behavior. Thank you all for reading! You are all awesome and I appreciate every single one of you. **

Chapter Twenty Four

Buck sat at the kitchen table in the dark, rolling a fifth of Wild Turkey between his massive hands. The bottle was unopened. Twice now his fingers had moved to the cap. He could almost taste it. But he hadn't broken the seal on the bottle. That broken seal would lead to a broken promise and he knew it. He'd promised himself that if he ever got another chance to set things right with his boys, he wouldn't take another drink. Not one more drink. Snort one more line. He'd never let another needle slip into his veins. All he'd wanted was a chance and now he had one. But now he felt it all slipping away.

He had kept his word all week. He hadn't even really wanted a drink, or anything else. Not until now. Now it all seemed to be over. Merle was so much like him that Merle understood. He was quicker to forgive. But Merle hadn't had it as bad as Daryl had. There was much less to forgive when it came to his oldest son. But Daryl. That was a much different story.

People go to churches looking for the divine. Where they need to go is prison. That's where all the bad men find their God. Not Buck. Buck didn't know the first thing about God. Didn't much care too. But he'd made a deal with him regardless, a year after he had been in the pen. If he got out alive, and was able to make peace with his boys, then he would do what he could to be a better man. He'd give up everything. He'd do everything he could to make peace with them. He'd made a promise to himself that even if he couldn't, he would still stay clean. He just wasn't sure if he could keep his word anymore.

Watching Merle trying to get himself clean was a hard thing. He'd done that to him. Buck had known that Merle was down for just about anything and when he had came in one night, while Buck was shooting up, he'd sat down at the table and watched in fascination. When Buck was finished, without a word, Merle had rolled up the sleeve of his shirt. Buck had obliged. He remembered laughing. Merle had been in heaven then. Buck knew how good it felt. After that Merle was hooked. That was almost five years ago. He'd jokingly offered some to his baby boy the next day when he had came home from school.

He remembered that look in the boys eyes. Fear was always there, but that day he had looked at Buck with disgust. Like he was better than his own daddy. Like he was better than his big brother. More than he ever had before, he looked exactly like his mama, and Buck had seen red. How dare he look a them like that?

Buck knew the truth now. Daryl looked at them like that because it had been true. He was better than them. How he had sired a man like Daryl was beyond him. But that day, he hadn't looked at him like that. Daryl's determination to be better had always made Buck sick. And he had let loose on the boy. Merle was too out of it to even try to protect him from Buck this time. Not that he had ever succeeded before that. But he had hurt Daryl pretty bad that day. No more school for a while. It was probably the worst beating he had ever given him. But six months later he would give him one worse than that. And Buck didn't even remember doing it. Nothing about that night was clear.

But things were very clear now. Ever since Daryl had saw him there on the porch he had saw many different things in the boys eyes. Disbelief, fear, disgust, more fear, anger. He had expected all of that. But he hadn't expected the hate. The boy hated him. It was clear in every look he gave him. It was clear in the way he moved around him.

He heard something and froze there with the bottle clasped between his hands. He stayed silent and still as someone entered the kitchen.

Daryl padded in, barefoot in nothing but a pair of jeans that he hadn't even bothered to button. His hair was mused. It was too dark for him to see Buck. He went straight to the refrigerator and grabbed a can of something.

Buck watched him, too far away for the dim light to reach the corner of the kitchen where he sat, barely breathing, not knowing what would happen if Daryl found him there, clutching a bottle of whiskey. It probably wouldn't matter to the boy that it hadn't been opened. Buck also knew that if he went off on him again there wasn't anyone down here to stop him and Buck didn't figure Daryl would stop on his own until he was dead. Maybe that's what he deserved. Maybe he survived everything he had survived just so he could be taken out by the boy that he had beaten mercilessly. It was poetic enough.

Daryl shut the fridge after grabbing a container of ham and then hit the small light above the stove as he rummaged around for the bread. Buck almost looked away when Daryl's back was too him. The boy was pretty scarred up. He actually remembered giving him those. But he couldn't pull his eyes away from his own brand of artwork that crisscrossed the skin on Daryl's back.

The light from the stove was still too dim to betray his presence so he was still careful to stay as still as he could but his head did whip around when he heard someone else enter the kitchen. This time he did look away.

Carol was standing in the kitchen doorway with her arms crossed over her chest. All she had on was Daryl's t-shirt and it barely even covered her ass. He wasn't about to gawk at the girl. Not that she wasn't something to gawk at. He'd done a lot of checking her out every time he saw her after they had first met but now it wasn't something he even wanted to do. It was almost like she was blood. He was a dirty old man but he wasn't that damn dirty. He was starting to feel like she was his own little girl. And that little girl needed to put some damn clothes on.

"Merle's asleep." She said with a smile.

Daryl's eyes shot up and Buck watched as a real smile graced his face. He didn't do that in front of Buck very often. He looked even more like his mama that way. "Checkin' on Merle half naked now, are ya?" He shook his head.

"I am not. I just peeked in. I was going to actually leave him alone tonight." She crossed the kitchen and eyed the sandwich Daryl was making. "Make me one."

He scoffed. "Make one yourself."

She stood behind him so Buck couldn't see her anymore. But he did see her arms slide around the boys waist.

Son of bitch. He hoped they weren't the kind of freaks that would just fuck anywhere. What the hell would he do then?

To Buck's horror Daryl actually spun around, grabbed her by the hips and then turned and sat her down on the edge of the island. Sandwiches forgotten she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled Daryl's face to hers. As much as he hated too do it he had to let them know he was there. There was no way he was going to set in the dark and watch his son fuck a girl on a counter.

"Y'all got a room for that shit, ya know." He said from the dark corner.

Daryl froze with his hands up the back of her shirt, exposing a small glimpse of her back and some skimpy black underwear.

"Oh my God." Carol groaned as she hopped down from the counter and spun around.

Daryl didn't say a word for a few minutes. He just stared off towards the dark corner, that look that he usually got around Buck transforming his boyish face into something hard and severe. Carol was hiding behind him, her face buried into his back. He went back to making sandwiches.

"What are you doin' down here?" Daryl finally asked.

Buck wasn't sure what to say. He shrugged. "Thinkin', I suppose." He stood up and removed his own shirt. He tossed it to Daryl as he approached the island. He left the bottle on the table. They would see it and then he'd deal with it then. Right now he just wanted Carol to cover her ass up so he wouldn't be tempted to look at it anymore.

Daryl caught the shirt and with a half smirk on his face he handed it to a blushing Carol. She slipped it over her head and finally came around the counter. It covered plenty. He nodded to her and she gave him a sheepish smile.

Buck could see Daryl watching him from the corner of his eye. He figured that he was examining the damage he had done. Hell, even Buck had been impressed when he'd seen his face in the bathroom mirror. His boy was definitely no scrawny teenager anymore. Buck kept his eyes on Carol as she approached him. She was looking at his face closely also. Her smile turned into a frown.

"That brow could have used some stitches, Buck." She said worriedly.

Daryl snorted. "Stitches are for bitches, Carol. Ain't that right, Buck? That's what you and Merle always told me after you would beat the shit outta me."

Carol put her hands on her hips and glared at him. Buck didn't even glance his way. He knew what the kid was doing. He just wanted him to let it go. But he knew why Daryl couldn't do that. He smiled bitterly and then took a bite. Good. As long as his mouth was full he wouldn't have to listen to all of his barbs. He'd never lay a hand on him again but the kid pissed him the fuck off sometimes.

He picked up his plate and walked towards the table, flicking the light switch on as he went. Buck flinched when he heard Daryl's footsteps halt. He'd spotted the whiskey. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and then turned to face the wrath of his youngest son once again.

Daryl sat the plate down, shook his head and then grabbed the bottle. Without a word he put it back in the liquor cabinet.

"I didn't even open it." Buck said, not knowing why he felt compelled to explain himself to the boy. It was already too late to fix things with him. Too much time had passed. To much bad blood between them.

"I don't much care. But if you're thinkin' of startin' that shit again, maybe you should get your shit and go. You ain't gonna fuck up her life like ya did mine." he sat down and took another bite of his food like he couldn't care less either way.

"Daryl, stop." Carol said fiercely.

His eyes shot up and he swallowed right before he nodded. "Fine. Said all I need to say anyway."

"Buck, sit down." Carol ordered. He couldn't help but acknowledge that she looked like a pouty little kid in his shirt.

He wanted to tell her that he wasn't in the mood for this right now but the look on her face left no room for argument. She was a tough one when she needed to be. He had to wonder briefly what she had said to Daryl to keep him from taking off on that bike earlier.

~H~

Daryl couldn't believe she was going to do this to him. He'd told her that he would talk to the son of a bitch when he was ready to talk to him. But now she was going to force him to talk. He understood where she was coming from. He really did. Her own dad was dead and she would do anything to be able to see him again. But why couldn't she understand that he just didn't give a shit about Buck? The man had burned his bridges with him. He didn't need Buck and Buck sure as fuck didn't need him. He didn't understand why the man didn't just give up and leave.

Buck sat down grudgingly across the table from him. Carol sat next to him and then looked up at Daryl expectantly. All he did was take another bite. She frowned.

"We can't go on like this. We're all walking on pins and needles here. The two of you need to work this out. This isn't good for Merle so the sooner the better." She said stubbornly.

She looked from one Dixon to the other, her frown was quickly turning into a scowl. "Seriously? You aren't going to say anything to each other?"

Buck sighed heavily. "I don't think we got anything to say, baby girl. This is just how things are."

"It isn't how things have to be." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"The fuck you want to happen, Carol? You want us to hug it out?" Daryl asked bitterly. He wasn't going to say anything but she was driving him crazy.

"I think you'd be happier if you let all that anger go." She said quietly.

"I am happy." he countered.

She blew out a frustrated breath and then looked at Buck. "Why did you come back? You had to have known how Daryl was going to be. I doubt that this stubborn streak is a new character trait."

"Look who's talkin'." He grumbled. He watched Buck carefully then.

Buck shrugged. "They're the only family I got. Figured I'd try to make amends."

Daryl felt anger rise in him once more. Why would he think that that would be okay? Fuck it. She wanted them to talk this out, they could talk this out. Not that it was gonna do any fucking good. "You never gave two shits about us. I don't get why the fuck you thought that just cause you grew a conscience in the pen that we'd be all open arms with you. Don't you fucking remember how it was? You remember_ any _of the shit you've put us through?"

Buck studied him for a few seconds and then looked away. Daryl did the same. He didn't want to look at him. "I remember most of it." Buck said in a quiet voice.

"You want me to tell ya about the shit you missed out on. Like Merle and me livin' in the truck for two months after I got outta the hospital. We didn't have shit. Nothin'. We were starvin' to death. And it was like that a lot till I was old enough to get a decent job. You wanna know more?"

Buck shook his head.

"You don't wanna know about that night? You don't wanna know about what you did, Buck? Cause I remember you bein' awfully fuckin' proud of yourself, up until you smashed my head in."

Buck's eyes locked on his. "I already know what I did. I also know what you've had to do since. But I thought maybe there was a chance..."

Daryl didn't even feel much anger anymore. It was all turning into confusion and a strange sense of yearning that he didn't understand. It was almost like somewhere under all the scars and armor was some kid that still wanted things to be okay. He was starting to feel sick. Sick because he couldn't trust Buck not to fuck everything up. He wasn't going to let him do that to him again. "I don't see that happenin'. How can that happen after all the shit you did?" he hated the fragile quality of his voice. Like that kid was speaking through the man he had become.

Buck looked away again, nodding slightly. "I think maybe it'd be best if I went ahead and got my shit and took off. I'll stay in town though. Keep close for Merle." His voice was rough but his face didn't betray a bit of emotion.

Daryl looked down and nodded himself. Deep down that hurt. Ached in an unfamiliar way. This was what he wanted, right? He was pretty sure this was what he wanted. Or maybe he just wanted Buck to fight a little harder. He wasn't so sure of anything anymore.

"Buck, you can't just leave." Carol looked like she was about to cry again.

"I wont go far, darlin'. Somewhere in town. You'll know where to find me." he didn't look at her. Daryl thought he knew why. That was one of the ways Carol kept getting her way with him. She'd give him that puppy dog look and the big mother fucker was putty in her hands. She did that shit to all three of them.

"Why? Why now? Did you decide while you were in prison?" She asked, now just trying to keep him there where he was so he wouldn't try to leave the house.

He nodded and then blew out a heavy breath as he leaned back in his chair. "I was in there for about six months before I started getting sick. Real sick. I was losin' a lotta weight and throwin' up all the time. They kept treatin' me for different shit but nothin' seemed worked."

Daryl felt something deep inside him tense. Buck wasn't looking at either of them. He was staring down at his hands that were now pressed flat on the tabletop.

Buck went on after a few long seconds. "Eventually they sent me to some specialist. Found out I was pretty fucked up. Got me to thinkin' about shit, ya know. Bout how bad I messed things up. I thought that if maybe I ended up bein' alright then I would get the chance to fix some of the shit that I broke. And the only thing I ever did that I felt any guilt about, once I got sober, was the shit I did to my boys."

Daryl didn't want to hear anymore of this. He didn't need this shit worming it's way into his head.

"What was wrong with you?" Carol asked as she moved closer to Buck.

Buck finally looked up and met her eyes. "Adenocarcinoma."

Daryl felt his brows pull down in a frown. "The fuck is that?"

"Cancer?" Carol whispered.

Buck nodded. "Stomach cancer. I figure it was from all that cheap shit I used to drink so much of." He offered her a weak smile.

Daryl's breath caught in his throat. That couldn't be right. Couldn't nothing keep that big bastard down. He got shot three times and then he beat a man to death. He'd come home plenty of nights with stab wounds. He loaded himself up with unbelievable amounts of drugs. No, nothing could get to Buck. But he could see it in his eyes that it was true.

Daryl didn't have any idea what to say. He didn't know what to think or how to feel about this. Did he still have it? Was he going to die? Alone? Knowing that his son hated him? His throat felt thick. He had tried to figure out why Buck was trying so hard. This was it. This was why. He wanted them in his life.

Carol was less reserved than him. Her tears were a painful sight to see. "But you look fine. You aren't sick. Your strong. Your as big as an ox, Buck." She cried and then she nearly threw herself at him. He looked startled at the contact as her arms went around his neck and she buried her face in his bare shoulder.

"Goddamn, girl. I'm fine. I had the surgery, went through the chemo, I got the all clear, alright? You're gonna get snot on me, now quit with all that." Buck looked like he was gonna throw her off his lap, but he finally wrapped an arm around her. He almost felt bad for Buck. Seemed like neither of them knew what the hell to do with a crying woman.

"So you ain't dyin' or nothin'?" Daryl asked after Carol seemed to get a hold of her emotions and at least raise her tear streaked face.

Buck shook his head. "I'm fine as far as I know. Y'all wanted to know what had me wantin' to fix shit so bad. That's why. I figured I was gonna die in that place. And I knew that if I did that you wouldn't have given a fuck. I thought if I lived through it then I'd have a chance to try." he shrugged. "So I tried. I ain't gonna act like it was right. I shoulda got out and moved on. I shoulda left you alone. But I figured if I had a chance to get through to you, let you know that I ain't the same as I was, then we could work on it."

Daryl just stared at Buck as Buck stared at him. Eyes locked and neither willing to break the contact. "Merle knows about this, don't he?" He finally asked.

Buck nodded.

He remembered the conversation they had in the truck when Merle had told him that now was the only thing that mattered. He understood that now. He felt a large crack forming in that armor as he thought of Merle's words in a new light.

"Why didn't you just tell me that?" He asked in a low voice.

Buck shrugged, his arms still wrapped around Carol who looked like a ten year old, still in his lap. "I wasn't gonna guilt ya into givin' second chances, boy. That ain't how it works. Would it have made much difference?"

Daryl ran a hand through his hair. Would it have made a difference? He didn't know for sure. What he did know was that it made a difference now. He didn't know what to say because he couldn't figure out how to feel. Buck hadn't just broken their relationship. He had broke it and then stomped it into pieces and then kicked those pieces around until half of them were missing.

"Daryl, please." Carol pleaded as her eyes filled with fresh tears.

He let out a heavy breath and then finally met Buck's steady blue gaze once more. "I don't know what's gonna happen. But I... I want you to stay." The words seemed to cut him. He was exposing too much to the man but he really did want him to stay. If Buck got sick and died how would he go on living with himself knowing he had denied his own dad the one thing that he had asked for? He couldn't. And the reason he couldn't was because he was nothing like Buck.

**And there you have it. It didn't make sense to some of you how Buck could be such a monster, doing the things he had done to Merle and Daryl and then jump into their lives like he was some kind of hero, always doing what he could to protect them instead of kicking their asses like he always had before. Men like that do not just wake up out of the blue one day and decide to change. It usually takes something major. Now, this girl is sleepy! Have a great day and thanks again for reading!**


	25. Chapter 25

**I do not like this chapter but after that emotionally draining one I posted yesterday I wanted something much lighter. I know that some of you are really anti Merle and Beth but I'm still feeling this relationship out. Keep in mind that they are both fairly young here. XD I sort of left this hanging because I am always paranoid of boring the people that read my stories. So I figure if you want me to start back up where I left off then I can do that but if you want me to go onto something else I can do that too. It's up to you. I just don't want you bored! Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I hope you like this one better than I did! Have a great morning!**

Chapter Twenty Five

It was _hot._ The humidity was oppressive. With every breath Carol felt like she were nearly drowning from the moisture in the air. They had opened the garage doors but no breeze was blowing in. The air was still and stagnant. But she wouldn't have missed this for the world. She sat perched on the edge of the workbench, her bare legs swinging back and forth.

They had spent the morning collecting motorcycle parts. Apparently the guy from the junkyard that owed Buck had owed him quite a lot. He had made a few calls and was thrilled to tell Buck that he had scored a lot of the parts that they had needed. When they went to pick the pieces up she had grimaced. It looked like a bunch of grease covered scrap metal to her. But three sets of eyes had lit up at the site before them.

Now they were all cleaning the parts and putting this and that together. She had no clue what any of it was. She didn't care at the moment. They were all talking, joking, laughing, _shirtless _and sweating. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks but it would go unnoticed. The sun already had her pale cheeks turning pink. She didn't make it a habit of checking out men. Especially Buck and Merle. They were like family to her. But the cold truth was, she couldn't help it. The three of them made a hell of a show. Buck was the biggest by far. Thick bands of muscle covering every part of him. He was heavily tattooed which made him even that much more intimidating. He definitely did not have the body of a man of fifty. And he didn't have the body of a sick man.

Merle wasn't as big as Buck but he was still an impressive figure. And Daryl was smallest of all three. But definitely the one that was worth staring at the most. As if he could read her mind he glanced up and grinned as he pushed his sweaty hair back from his forehead.

She grinned back. There was a definite shift in the atmosphere this morning. There was still tension, there was no doubt about that. But it was nothing like it had been. There was a lighter feel in the house. Merle, for one, was a part of that lightness. He'd argued with Daryl for an hour over the amount of drugs to give him. He'd insisted on cutting it drastically. Daryl had insisted on not cutting it drastically. But ultimately it was Merle's body and he was the one to call the shots. Daryl was afraid that it would be too much on him. But they were prepared for what the night would bring. She was anyway.

"You need a haircut. Ya look like a goddamn tree hugger." Merle noted as he shouldered Daryl roughly, nearly causing him to fall over. They were both crouched down, examining some of the parts.

"Rather look like a tree hugger than cock sucker." He said with a shrug.

Buck stood up and backed away towards the work bench until he ran into her knees. He turned his head, glancing back at her. "This ain't gonna end well at all." He muttered as he turned back to watch them.

Carol grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Daryl's a lot quicker than Merle."

He reached up and patted her hand. "Yeah, but Merle's bigger and meaner." He sighed.

Merle glared at his little brother. "What the fuck is that suppose to mean?" He growled.

Daryl shrugged nonchalantly once more. "Whatever you think it means."

"You little fucker!" Merle went to grab him but Daryl scurried back like a crab and then was on his feet. Merle's eyes flashed with mock malice.

"Aww, come on big brother, you got yourself a temper. To bad you're too slow to do anything with it." Daryl grinned.

Buck shook his head. "He should just shut up while he's ahead. Merle's gonna catch him eventually."

Carol would have been nervous if she thought they had been serious but she saw no real anger in either of them. Merle was about to tackle him but a voice from the garage door had him straightening up.

"Hello?"

Carol looked towards the door and saw Andrea and Lori standing there with Rick, both women looking slightly nervous as their eyes raked over all three men. Once again Carol felt her ego shrinking at the sight of them. Andrea was being pretty conservative from the waist down in loose fitting army green capri's. But all she had on other than that was a white bikini top. Her blonde hair was piled up on top of her head, much like the way Carol and Lori both wore theirs. But Carol doubted it had the same effect as Andrea's golden waves did.

She huffed into Bucks shoulder. Lori was dressed much the same way but her shorts were shorter and she didn't fill out her top as well. At least Lori could wear something like that. Thanks to Ed she was definitely a one piece bathing suit kind of girl.

Merle hurriedly slipped on his button up shirt, the sleeves already rolled up to his forearms but he didn't bother with the buttons. It was apparently too damn hot. Buck greeted them with a wave and they took that as an invitation. The three of them came in, now smiling.

Carol watched but Daryl seemed completely indifferent to the woman. He grabbed himself a beer but then put it back once he remembered that Rick was a cop and knew that Daryl wasn't even old enough to drink. He grimaced and grabbed a coke instead. He looked at her over his shoulder and then rolled his eyes.

"We brought you something. We thought we would drop it off since we were in the neighborhood." Lori said when she finally spotted Carol behind Buck. Buck moved away from her once he realized that Lori wasn't going to come any closer while Carol was basically strapped to his back.

"What is it?" Carol asked as she hopped down from the bench.

Lori pulled her bag around and rummaged through it for a second. She pulled out a gun and handed it to her.

"It's actually just a loaner." Rick said with a smile. "I bought two and figured you could use the other until you got your own."

Carol just stared down at it as though she had never even seen one before. She had actually briefly considered getting a gun the night her dog was killed but it had been so fleeting that she barely remembered thinking about it. And a whole lot had happened since then.

"It's small and it wont be hard at all to figure out." Rick said.

"This is great." Carol looked up and smiled. "Now I just need to figure out how to use it."

Buck plucked it from her hand and examined it. "Not bad." He muttered as he turned it over. It looked like a toy lying across his large palm.

She looked back towards Rick and her smile faltered. "Have you guys found Ed yet?" She had to ask because if she didn't ask then that would be suspicious behavior. They didn't need any of that.

Rick shook his head. "Nothin'. But we're getting a lot of heat from that cousin of his. He suspects foul play. Brought up the fact you got a couple of felons livin' with you."

Merle snorted and shook his head.

Carol wasn't sure what to say to that. This was not good.

Rick actually looked apologetic. "Look, Carol. I know it's scary but you don't have a thing to worry about. You would be surprised at how many people stuck up for the four of you when it was mentioned. And as far as I'm concerned, he's still a suspect for those killings."

Carol kept her face calm even though inside she was terrified. How could she not have thought of that before now? Ed's cousin was a District Attorney. Sure, he didn't have as much pull here but he was still a semi powerful man. Him and Ed had never been close. Carol had never even met him, but family was family to some people. This could get ugly very fast.

"Well, are you two ready? I'm burning up over here." Andrea seemed to be in a hurry. She was fanning her face with her hand.

Lori nodded. "Yeah, this heat is ridiculous." She glanced back at Carol and then seemed to have an idea as she raised her eyebrows. "You all should come."

Carol frowned. "Where?"

"Quarry Beach." Andrea said as her eyes once again roamed over Buck.

"I've never been." Carol said quietly. Knowing that Daryl would have a fit. He had been so pissed about the trip the cafe that she wasn't going to drag him anywhere for a while. But to her surprise even he was staring at her like she had grown a second head.

"You've never been? Seriously?" Andrea asked with a huge grin. "It's great. Everybody goes there."

Carol frowned. Surely if everybody went there then the Dixon's would have avoided the place like the plague. So why were they looking at her like that? "You guys go to the _beach_?" She couldn't help but laugh.

Merle draped a heavy arm over her shoulder. "Well, not where all the rest of'em go. Our spot is down a ways."

"You guys have your own spot?" Andrea asked Merle. It was the first time she actually seemed to relax a little.

"Oh yeah." Merle grinned.

"I want to see this." She smiled in return.

Daryl spoke up then. Surprising them all with his light tone. "Ain't much to see, really. It's just a graveyard for years worth of Merle's used condoms. Just a sad reminder of the Dixon's that coulda been." He shook his head sadly.

Rick, Lori and Andrea all started laughing at once.

"That's disgusting." Andrea was still laughing as she dabbed at her eyes.

"Least I use'em, asshole." Merle grouched.

"You guys wanna go?" Rick asked eventually.

Carol looked at the guys but they just shrugged. She really did want to get out of the house but considering how hot it was, they were going to be dealing with damn near the whole town.

"Fuck it." Merle shrugged. "Lets go then. Just don't expect me to hang out with ya too much, Officer Friendly. I got myself a reputation around these parts." He clapped Rick on the shoulder as he sauntered over to his bike. "One of you ladies wanna ride?" He winked.

"No." They both said in unison as Rick shook his head, hiding a smile.

This was so weird. People dropping by. People loaning out fire arms. Her and the Dixon's willingly hanging out with a police officer. Andrea still eying Buck like she wanted to eat him as a snack. Maybe she was dreaming or something. Surely.

~H~

Daryl had never had anyone on the back of his bike before. It was the one thing that was his alone. He normally didn't even want anyone else touching it. But he wasn't feeling that way at the moment. Not with the way she was pressed up against him, her bare thighs rubbing his through his jeans. Maybe it was because she had taken the bikes place in his head. Now _she_ was the only thing that was only his. And he'd break someones jaw if they tried to touch her.

"You do know that you should be wearin' helmets, right?" Rick asked, raising his eyebrows.

Merle just scoffed and then his bike roared to life. Rick shrugged and waved at them as he walked out with Lori and Andrea.

They followed Rick down the country road, not going as fast as they would have liked but they weren't stupid enough to pass a cop, even if he was off duty.

Carol held onto him tightly. He knew something was bothering her. He had seen her face change the moment Rick and the two women walked into the garage. She seemed uncomfortable. It only got worse after Rick mentioned that cousin of Ed's. He knew how he had felt about it right after it happened but he was pretty sure that no one would ever figure out what ever became of Ed Peletier.

Buck had been pretty thorough, even removing the wood flooring that Ed had bled all over and then repaired everything. All traces of the man were gone. She didn't have a thing to worry about.

Ricks truck turned down the dirt road that would take them to the lake. As soon as he turned all three bikes passed him. Once they hit the spot where all the other vehicles were parked Daryl was about to keep going. The spot him and Merle had always gone too was further away, in a small cove. They never stopped here.

Until now.

Buck swung his bike in next to a shiny new truck and killed the engine. Merle pulled in beside him but Daryl planted his feet on the ground and stood up, bike idling between his legs. There were already a bunch of heads turned to stare at them. He was pretty sure Rick was going to walk right past them and act like he didn't know who the hell they were but he walked right up to Buck and started talking to him.

"Son of a bitch." He cursed as he walked the bike into the spot next to Merle. If he'd known this was going to happen he would have stayed home with Carol. He could think of a lot of things to keep them occupied that didn't involve the whole goddamn town. Fuckers.

Lori and Andrea were now standing with Rick, Buck and Merle. Carol caught his hand and pulled until he turned around to face her. She was grinning from ear to ear and her cheeks were flushed. She pulled him towards her until their faces were only inches apart. That ride must have calmed her nerves. They had that in common too.

"Stop scowling like that." She said quietly as her hands snaked around his neck.

It was just like at that coffee place. She didn't give a shit that there were a bunch of people looking, speculating, judging. She was happy. She kissed him then, once more in front of every pair of curious eyes. He found himself pulling her closer, deciding that if she didn't care then he didn't either.

She wasn't the type to show off much skin. She would never walk around the way the other two women were, partly because of what Ed had done to her and partly because that just wasn't the kind of girl she was. But today was hotter than it had been in a long time so she dressed in as little as possible. His hands met the bare skin at her back. It was one of those shirts that tied at the neck and at the back leaving most of the skin back there showing while the front was covered completely. It was fucking_ hot_.

He wasn't used to feeling her skin under his hands unless they were alone. And just that small touch was making the rest of him act as if they were the only two there. And this would pose as a real problem. That would be just great. The town watches while he kisses someone and then watches while he tries to hide his uncooperative dick. Lovely.

He pulled his mouth away from hers and dropped his hands to his sides, willing himself to calm the fuck down. He was such a weirdo.

"You look like you're concentrating awfully hard. What are you thinking about?" She asked, still grinning.

He just huffed and shook his head. "Nothin'."

"Y'all coulda done all that lovey dovey bullshit at home." Merle called.

Daryl flipped him off and then pulled Carol along by the hand. Lori and Andrea were smiling at them. He just wished they would go away.

Rick's phone rang just then and he answered it quickly, stopping mid sentence as he was talking to Buck. Daryl watched as Rick's face grew very grim. He glanced around at all six people that were staring at him. He turned his head, muttering something into the phone and then he ended the call, shoving the phone back into his pocket.

"What was that all about?" Lori asked but from the tone of her voice she was already making a guess.

"I'm gonna have to go." He said as he kissed her quickly.

"Rick, we had plans. You've been working none stop." She put her hands on her hips and eyed him angrily.

"They found another one." He said warily.

Carol had moved until she was standing in front of Daryl but as soon as she heard this news she took a step back. His arm went around her waist and she leaned against him. He knew how scared she was over what was going on but he refused to believe that the person was after her. He couldn't believe something like that. If it was someone that wanted her dead then they would have killed her the morning at the construction site. The freak could have killed them both.

"Who did they find? Do they have a name yet?" Carol asked as she leaned into Daryl a little more.

Rick shook his head and then his eyes found his wife's once more. "Lori, I'm sorry."

She looked concerned and disappointed at the same time but she sighed and nodded. "It's okay. Let's go." She glanced up at Andrea. "I'm sorry about this."

Andrea shook her head. "Don't be. I'll catch a ride back with someone here. Half the town showed up." She smiled.

Rick put his hands on his hips. "Lori, you can stay here. You aren't going to have any fun with this, believe me."

"I wanted to spend the day with my husband. That's what I intend to do. It doesn't matter what we're doing." She said stubbornly.

Ricks features softened. "Lori, I'm sorry."

She held up a hand. "Let's go. I already told you, I don't care."

They said their goodbyes and then left. Now it was getting pretty awkward. Andrea and Carol wasn't quite as friendly as Lori and Carol were. Rick was a major buffer. But now it was pretty much just Andrea and the Dixon clan and she started looking like she was pretty uncomfortable.

"You ain't gotta stand here like you don't mind bein' seen with us, darlin'. It wont hurt our feelin's none if ya go on without us." Buck said, his tone wasn't mocking or condescending. He was just giving her an out. She looked as though she wanted one. But then suddenly she didn't.

Her gaze landed on Carol and then she shook her head. "I'm fine. It's about time those people got over themselves. Me included. Where the hell is this little condom burial ground you guys speak so fondly of?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her bikini clad chest.

Merle and Buck grinned like idiots. Carol glanced over her shoulder at him and then shrugged.

"You serious?" Buck asked as he cocked one eyebrow.

She nodded.

"Hi, Merle."

Everyone turned their heads when they heard the shy voice behind them. Daryl groaned when he saw who it was. Beth Greene.

"Well, I be damned." Merle muttered as his face broke out in an even wider grin. "How the hell are ya, darlin'?"

She smiled that shy smile of hers that Daryl remembered from school and then she shrugged. "I'm fine. I was waitin' on some friends but none of them showed." She tilted her head and glanced at all of them. "I ain't seen y'all here before."

Merle's nodded and he looked almost predatory. "That's cause the best spot's a secret. We don't bother with the crowds, ya know, since all us Dixon's are such bad men and all."

"Jesus, Merle." Daryl grumbled quietly as he rested his chin on Carol's shoulder. He could feel Carols quiet laughter. She just had to encourage him. She was turning into an evil thing.

"You don't seem like bad men to me." She said as she glanced towards Andrea who was watching Merle with a grimace.

"Your daddy here, girl?" Merle asked.

Beth shook her head quickly.

"Ya wanna go with us?" he threw a leg over his bike and stood there for a few seconds, waiting for her to reply.

She looked around, clearly unsure what to do now. Daryl didn't get why Merle seemed so interested in the girl to begin with. His usual type was a lot older, and a lot more aggressive than this girl. After a few more long seconds she nodded and approached Merle, and the bike, almost cautiously. He held out his hand and she took it and let him help her climb on behind him.

Andrea sighed loudly, glanced around just like Beth had done and then walked with Buck to his own bike.

"You don't see nothin' fucked up with this picture?" Daryl whispered into her ear.

She shrugged. "What's so fucked up about it?" she asked, causing him to laugh. He didn't know why he thought it was so funny when she cussed.

"Buck has a civil rights attorney on the back of his bike and Merle has a farmers daughter on the back of his. And neither one of them had to knock them out to get'em there."

"They're good looking men, Daryl. I bet half the women that turn their noses up to you three on the street go home and sleep with their husbands with their eyes closed, fantasizing about Dixon's."

He shook his head and scowled. "You're crazy, you know that?"

She spun around in his arms and kissed him. When she pulled her lips away from his she gave him a serious look and then nodded. "You three have rubbed off on me a little. I was sane before you came along."

Merle and Buck's bikes roared to life, signaling that it was time to go. That was fine by him. He figured that the rest of the evening was going to get pretty interesting.


	26. Chapter 26

**This chapter is just a continuation of the last one . I've been quite busy. I know, it's shocking! But I wanted to be able to post a chapter this morning! I hope it doesn't seem too rushed. If it does it is probably because... well... it ****_was_**** rushed! Thank you all for reading and reviewing! Hope you all had a nice weekend! Much love =)**

Chapter Twenty Six

Carol was trying hard to think of any other word other than awkward to explain their little powow. But nothing else came to mind. Merle had been right. The spot was beautiful. The woods swooped down all the way to the waters edge and the place was well hidden in a little cove. Up the hill a little ways was a rope swing that she was dying to try but really wasn't sure if she would end up looking like a complete moron. There was a makeshift fire pit a little ways from the water and it was much cooler here since it was mostly shaded.

They were ill prepared for a beach trip. The only person that even had a towel was Beth but she didn't seem like she was going to do any swimming since she would be swimming alone. Andrea had left all of her stuff in Rick's truck so they mostly just sat around on logs around the unused fire pit and tried to socialize.

But this meant that Carol had to do most of the talking. She had swallowed down the fear that enveloped her after Rick's call. She put on her brave face and was unwilling to let her worries ruin everyone elses day. Daryl knew something was off with her but she had expected that. She never thought she would ever meet a person that got her the way he did.

Despite all of his bravado Merle was a bit disappointing. She almost felt bad for him. He had no idea how to carry on a conversation with the girl. She remembered Daryl mentioning that Merle's taste in women was questionable. Beth was nothing like what Merle was used too. And it was painfully obvious that Andrea was not enjoying herself at all. She was trying to make a statement. She was trying to prove, to either them or herself, that she could look past the reputations of the Dixons and be around them without hesitation. Carol was starting to think that Andrea was a person that was constantly in need of proving herself. Not that there was anything wrong with that. But the poor woman looked miserable. No one really knew what to say.

"So, Beth," Carol smiled at the girl when she looked up, "You're daddy owns a farm?" She knew it was pretty silly but the conversation had to start somewhere.

Beth nodded. "He's also the local vet. He has a little office in town here but he mostly deals with other farmers animals and he does that at the house."

"Hershel? He's your father?" Carol was delighted. Hershel was a kind man. She had taken her dog to Hershel when she had first adopted him.

Beth grinned. "You've met my daddy?"

"I took my dog to him when I first got him." She nodded.

"Oh." Beth's smile faded. "I heard about what happened. I'm sorry about that."

So she had heard also? Of course she had. Carol couldn't help but wonder bitterly what else everyone knew about her.

Andrea was sitting alone since Buck decided to sit next to Carol. She always seemed to be between two Dixons. When Andrea met her eyes she smiled sadly. "So, when do you want to go learn how to shoot? I need to practice as much as I can."

"That's what I hear." Buck chuckled.

Uh oh.

Andrea's eyes narrowed as her gaze slipped over Buck. "And what is that suppose to mean?" She asked, clearly offended.

"I mean, you couldn't shoot a man point blank, darlin'. Anybody that can't shoot a man from a few feet away needs some practice in my book." He met her gaze with a level one of his own. "Just facts."

Andrea's head came up and she glared at him. "Well, excuse me for not having as much practice as you when it comes to shooting men." Her voice was cold.

Beth's eyes widened as she looked at Buck. "You've _shot_ people?"

Buck shook his head. "Ain't never _shot_ a man in my life." He grinned.

Andrea scowled. "Oh, that's right. You like to take a more personal approach when it comes to killing. Isn't that right?" Carol could feel the anger radiating off the woman even from across the fire pit.

Buck just shrugged his heavy shoulders. "I 'spose you can look at it that way."

"You've _killed_ people?" Beth asked as she glanced from Merle to Buck.

Buck nodded. "A few. Self defense though so they don't really count."

"You were in James Peletier's house, Buck Dixon. That's why he shot you." Andrea said haughtily.

"You were _shot_?" Beth asked breathlessly.

"He fucked my _wife_, darlin'. Me and him needed to talk." Buck's voice was becoming darker.

"Jesus, Buck. Shut the fuck up." Daryl grumbled from beside her. He was idly skinning the bark off of a stick.

Andrea looked as though she were debating on whether to say more. Luckily she decided against it.

"So...uh... a farm huh?" Merle asked Beth, who had scooted a little closer to him when the conversation turned to murder.

She looked up, obviously grateful for the change of subject but she still seemed to be really nervous. She kept glancing towards Buck like she expected him to jump up and hurt her. "Oh yeah. It's been in our family more than a hundred years. My daddy was born there."

"It ain't a hog farm is it?" Merle asked innocently.

"Son of a bitch." Daryl whispered with a shake of his head. He tossed the stick into the ashes.

"Oh no. Cows mostly." Beth said, looking confused as Merle winked at his brother.

"So, you gonna let me teach ya to shoot or what?" Buck asked Andrea with a sly smile on his face.

She was still glaring but then Carol thought she saw something else there in the woman's eyes. "Sure. But you'll have to forgive me if I shoot you in the ass. My aim is really off." She snapped and then she stood up and walked towards the water.

Buck and Merle laughed at that.

"Buck, that was so rude." Carol said as she hit his arm with her shoulder.

"She's a bitch." He shrugged.

Carol was confused. She had been sure that Buck was at least a little interested in Andrea. "I thought you liked her." She asked.

"I like the way her tits look in that top. But every time she opens her mouth it kills it a little."

Carol shot Beth a glance and sure enough the girls face was red. It was obvious that she didn't hear talk like this very often. Carol decided to change the subject. "So, you two went to school together?" She asked looking from Beth to a disgruntled looking Daryl.

Beth nodded, fidgeting nervously. "We had a few classes together but we didn't hang out or anything. Daryl kept to himself most of the time. How come you never tried to talk to any of us?" She looked at Daryl then.

He frowned and then shrugged.

Carol felt bad for him. How lonely he must have always been. She had always been friendly in school. She had had a lot of friends. There was always something to do. She never had to worry about sitting alone at lunch or not having anyone to call just out of the blue. She once again felt herself feel a little bitter towards Merle and Buck.

She stood up and grabbed him by the hand. "Screw it, lets swim." She grinned as she pulled him up.

"We didn't bring nothin' to swim in." He muttered as she pulled him through the trees. They passed Andrea as she was walking back towards the others. She didn't look as upset as she had when she had stormed off.

"We'll dry off on the way home." She said as she continued to pull him along.

She didn't really feel like getting soaked herself but to hell with it. She couldn't stand it when he got that sad look on his face. So she wasn't going to let him sit and dwell on things that caused it. She didn't even hesitate. She stormed right into the water. He tried to tighten his grip on her hand but it was too late. This wasn't like the beach. There was a few feet of rocky shallows and then a drop off. Her hand slid out of his and then she was underwater.

Her head popped up and she gasped. It was_ cold_. He was standing at the waters edge, laughing. At least she succeeded in cheering him up. She felt her sandals slide off her feet and she grimaced. "Stop laughing. You could have warned me."

He shrugged and then kicked his shoes off. "Hows the water? It's shady down here, keeps it cooler."

"I lost my shoes." She muttered as her teeth began to chatter.

He walked in, stopping in water about ankle deep right at the edge of the drop off. "I didn't figure you would like it much after ya got in." He grinned.

He peeled off his shirt, causing her to swallow hard. Tossing it onto the bank he jumped in with her. He came up gasping and shaking water from his hair. She couldn't help but grin when he grabbed for her. She dodged him but then he grinned back as his head went under water once more. She felt his arms go around her waist as he came up behind her. She couldn't help but laugh as he pulled her against his chest.

She spun around and was about to say something but she forgot what it was when his lips met hers lightly. Kissing was hard with her teeth still chattering but she managed okay. He was moving them over to the side until she could feel the rocky bottom with her bare feet. He must have known these waters well. She took advantage of him being able to touch the bottom. She wrapped her legs around his waist as his warm hands went to her bare back. She was either getting used to the cold water or she was simply overheating, but either way, she was no longer shivering from the cold.

She was surprised when she felt his calloused hand on her bare breast, his thumb grazing the hardened peek lightly as his lips went to her earlobe and sucked gently. Her breath came out in a rush. In the back of her head she was aware of some reason this wasn't a good idea but while his hand moved over her and his teeth nipped lightly at the skin at the base of her throat, she couldn't remember what that reason could be.

Her eyes opened and she saw the ugly bruise on his shoulder where she had bitten him. She kissed the spot softly.

"Jesus, baby girl! Get your shirt back on!"

Carol jerked her head away from Daryl and looked quickly towards the bank. Buck was standing there with his hands on his hips, scowling at them.

"Boy, you know better!" He yelled.

She saw her top then, floating about a foot away from her. She reached for it quickly and then faced Daryl once more. "Damn it, Daryl." She whispered, feeling the heat in her face.

"Sorry." He bit his lip and didn't look sorry at all. "Got carried away." He shrugged.

"What if I had lost my shirt?" She grumbled as she tightened her thighs around his waist so she could reach up and tie it behind her neck.

"Then I'da let ya wear mine." He finally broke out in a grin.

"Let's go, damn it! We're bored to death up here." Buck yelled.

~H~

Buck was such an asshole. If it was Merle he wouldn't have minded_ him_ getting some in the lake. But since it was him and Carol the bastard had a problem with it. He was glad that Buck cared about her. It was a strange thing to see. As far back as Daryl could remember Buck didn't care about no one but Buck. He figured if it was anyone else Buck really wouldn't have cared so much but Carol had this way of making people care. Hell, he was willing to put himself completely out of his comfort zone for her the very first day they had met.

She winced as she walked towards the bank. She must have had sensitive feet. He was pretty used to walking on rocks with no shoes on. He felt bad that she had lost her shoes. He felt even worse that he had lost his chance. Thanks for caring, Buck. Fucker.

She winced and hissed as she made her way to the others and finally Buck scooped her up like she weighed two pounds, despite her objections of being treated like a child. He sat her down when the terrain became less rocky.

He wasn't having as hard a time as he thought he would as far as Buck went. He didn't forgive the man for the things he had done and he would never forget. His body was marked in a way that wouldn't ever let him forget. But he was looking at the man in a new light. Buck could have came to him groveling and spilling his sob story all over Daryl's resolve. But he hadn't done that. Instead he had actually _tried _to set things right. And Daryl had fought him tooth and nail.

He was so lost in thought that he wasn't even aware of Carol waiting up for him until she grabbed is hand. They followed Buck silently but he couldn't help but notice how close she kept her body pressed against his.

Merle was actually talking to Beth now. He was probably trying to reassure the poor girl that Buck wasn't going to hurt anyone. They were sitting close together on the log with their heads inclined towards one another. He said something too low for the others to hear and Daryl rolled his eyes when she glanced up at them and then covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. It was hard telling what kind of shit Merle was telling her. From the way she was blushing he had probably just told her about catching them in the shower together. God, Merle really got on his nerves.

Andrea was still sitting on the log, alone and stone faced as she gazed down at the cold ashes of the fire pit, seeming to be deep in thought. When she heard them coming she glanced up at Buck, her gaze sweeping over him for a few long seconds before she looked away, back to the ash.

"Merle, ya ready to get the hell outta here. Ya know these two can't go more than a few hours without ripping clothes off and what not." Buck said, a little too loudly.

Surprisingly Merle didn't look like he was quite ready yet. He looked disappointed. Daryl couldn't help but be a little confused at Merle's behavior. He seemed completely absorbed by this girl. It was really out of character for the man. But Merle was turning into quite a different man under Carol's careful hand. The lack of drugs was making a big difference too. Well, not a lack of, really, but much less than before.

And it was obvious that she liked Merle. She was clearly a little afraid after Buck and Andrea's little spat but she was putting on a brave face.

"Can you give me a ride home?" Andrea asked Buck, almost grudgingly. Daryl couldn't figure this one out at all. He wasn't the most experienced guy on the planet when it came to women but he was learning and from the looks of it, Andrea wanted Buck, and seemed almost ashamed of herself for it. Daryl didn't blame her for that. But she also tried to hide it under false pretenses and it was pretty obvious. He was surprised Buck wasn't all for it but he seemed a little annoyed by her.

Buck shrugged. "So long as you wont be _too_ embarrassed."

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him some more. "You know, so many people talk about your boys like they are the bad guys. But they are actually pretty enjoyable company. You, on the other hand, are a bit of a sarcastic asshole."

Merle barked out a laugh but Beth looked a little startled, like she expected him to lash out over the insult. Even Daryl was a little surprised. Usually people didn't talk to Buck like that. His mama had but usually people didn't get away with it.

Buck just chuckled and pointed up the hill towards the bikes. "Somethin' tells me that this is how you like me talkin' to ya, big shot. I think you want a man that don't give two shits about your social standin'. And believe me when I tell ya, blondie. I don't." he winked.

Daryl could see the play of emotions cross the woman's face. Anger, defiance, shock... and something else he couldn't identify. But from what he knew of the looks that Carol got in her eyes sometimes, he could swear that Buck hit a nerve. He was pretty sure Andrea was turned on.

"She wants Buck something fierce." Carol whispered in his ear, confirming his thoughts.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Andrea spat angrily.

"Don't bark at me, girl. We both know I could have your ass purrin' in no time." He sauntered past her as she stared at him, mouth hanging open, before she stomped after him up the hill.

"Ya need a ride home?" Merle asked Beth as they stood up.

"My daddy has probably already heard about me comin' here with ya." She shrugged. "He'll be mad but he'll get over it. I'm twenty years old and ain't caused him half the grief my sister had by the time she was my age. I think I earned a little fun. If ya don't mind takin' me."

"Nah, as long as you're sure he wont shoot me." Merle muttered as they too made their way to their bikes.

"Ya know," Daryl said into her ear, "We'll have this whole place to ourselves once their asses get outta here. What'da say?"

She looked like she was actually thinking about it, which had him more than excited but then she shook her head. "Anybody else could wonder this way. We should go. It's about to get dark anyhow."

He huffed but pulled her along up the hill after the others. He figured as much. He should have kicked Buck right in the dick. The nosy bastard.

Carol giggled and then stopped in her tracks, yanking him back by the hand and kissing him hard.

~H~

He watched from behind the trees. It had taken him a while to find them but he had. He'd found them just in time to see Carol pulling the boy towards the water. He couldn't believe Andrea was with the rest of them.

The bitch. She could have ruined everything. But he didn't have the time to sit and wait for a chance to get even for that. Not with the others around. But he would. She wouldn't get away with nearly shooting him.

He'd moved on and watched from the shadows as the Dixon boy ran his hands all over her. Kissing her throat as his hand worked her breast. He was beginning to think that he was too late. She was shameless. She was turning into something he couldn't understand. Even now she was kissing the boy hungrily. Letting him do what he wanted with her.

He clenched his fists so tight that he nearly drew blood from his palms. He had hoped that his fears were all for nothing. Now he knew the truth. He watched them until the biggest one, the father, called for them to hurry up. She took the boys hand once more and walked towards the others.

He was beginning to worry that he was losing control. If he was then it was her fault. He had stumbled upon a woman the night before in the ally behind the bar and he had lost control.

He had heard Carol in that garage. He knew what was happening and all he wanted to do was go in and kill them both. But he wasn't sure if he wanted her dead. He simply wanted her to be his. She needed to be cleansed. The boy was the one that needed to die.

_Don't stop._

The words echoed viciously in his mind. Shameless. Urging the boy to not stop. He felt the urge to vomit but he swallowed it down.

After escaping the yard he had been half out of his mind. He was writhing in misery. How could she? How could she let him _do_ those things to her? And then beg him to not stop.

And then the drunken woman had stumbled out of the bar. She had smiled at him despite the fury that was pouring off of him. Her bleached blond hair reminded him vaguely of Andrea's and he had lost it. He had grabbed her and thrown her to the ground. Using her hair as hand holds he had beat her head against the pavement until she stopped struggling. And then he had fled. This was why he was beginning to think he should give up. Give up on his Carol. Let her go. Let her go or kill her. She was driving him mad. Something had to happen soon.


	27. Chapter 27

**I got a late start on this chapter but I was determined to not go to sleep until it was posted. That means that I write it, edited it and am now posting it all on about two and a half hours sleep. Fun stuff. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I have to say thank you for all of the incredible support I've been getting. Thank you so much for reading! Have a great Monday!**

Chapter Twenty Seven

By the time they made it back home there wasn't a whole lot of daylight left. It was late and they were all starving. Carol got busy getting something together for dinner while the men were about to make their way to the garage. She felt a soft peck on the back of her neck and turned with a smile.

Merle stood there smirking at her.

She scowled and then slapped him in the arm with the spatula she had just grabbed. "Get away from me, you jerk." She grumbled.

"Merle, leave..."

"I know, Buck. _Leave her alone._" Merle mocked as he hurried after him. Daryl was already out the door, over eager to get back to those greasy bike parts. She didn't think she would ever understand men.

When she finally had something whipped together she was just about to head out the back to door to get the guys when she heard someone knocking at the front. She groaned and hurried to the door. All she wanted to do was eat dinner in peace. She looked out the window and frowned before opening the door.

"Shane?" She said in way of greeting. He was standing there with another officer, both in uniform.

"Evening, Carol. This is officer Martinez. Is Merle around?"

Carol's stomach hit the floor. "Why?" She asked quietly. This was one of her biggest fears. The police coming and asking for Merle.

Shane at least had the decency to look apologetic, his friend however did not. "That really isn't any of your business ma'am." He stated flatly as he eyed her with obvious contempt.

Shane opened his mouth to say something but Carol didn't give him a chance. "Excuse me? You're standing on my front porch, _officer._ I think that makes it my business." She spat. She was scared. Merle was getting better. He was trying so hard. This could derail everything.

Shane's brows rose in surprise at her tone. "Carol, we just need to ask him a few questions, okay? We'll have him back before you know it."

"There a problem?" Buck asked as he came around the side of the house. They must have seen the headlights to the cruiser in the driveway. Merle and Daryl were right behind him.

"We need to take Merle in for questioning." Martinez asked.

"Merle?" Daryl asked as he stepped around Buck.

"Is there gonna be a problem with that, boy?" Martinez asked as he took a step forward.

Shane put a hand to his chest to stop him from taking another step. "You need to calm your ass down, man. Ain't nobody here done a thing."

Carol watched as Buck crossed his arms over his chest and fixed Martinez with a look that froze her in place. She was glad he had never looked at her that way. Ironically the only person that looked calm was Merle.

"You need to cuff me, Walsh?" He asked with a smirk.

Shane glanced at him. It was apparently that the two men weren't on best friend terms but Shane wasn't acting like the other cop. Shane just seemed to be doing what he was told. The other guy seemed to enjoy coming here and throwing his authority around. Shane shook his head. "No need for all of that, Dixon. We just have a few questions and then you can be on your way."

Merle just nodded and then Shane and Martinez led him off to the car. Merle glanced back and winked at her. "Make sure you save me a plate, darlin'!" He called.

Carol felt tears stinging her eyes as they led him away. He wasn't cuffed. They weren't even walking all that close to him. But in her minds eye they may as well have been. She knew how people on the outside saw him. Even herself that day she had seen him at the bar. They took one look at him and saw this big bad man. But she wasn't on the outside. She _knew_ Merle. She knew how funny he could be and she knew how much love he had for his family even though it was broken. She had held him while he wept from unbearable pain and she knew how fiercely he would protect her no matter what. None of these assholes _knew_ Merle Dixon. Not her Merle anyway.

"None of that now." Buck rumbled as he climbed the porch steps and cupped the side of her face. His rough thumb wiped away a tear that had escaped. "He'd kick your ass if he knew you was out here bawlin' over him. He'll be back soon."

"But what if he isn't? What if somehow they know..."

He pressed a finger to her lips and shook his head. "They don't.." He said in a voice that left no room for argument. He moved his finger away and then walked past her, back into the house.

Daryl was there to take his place. "Merle knows how to handle the police. You heard'em today. He's got people pullin' for him now. That has to count for somethin'."

She nodded and then followed him inside.

~H~

Merle drummed his fingers against the tabletop as he held up his chin with his other hand. He was starting to feel sick. The room was too small and it was too hot. Cold fingers were starting to crawl up his spine. All he had to do was answer their stupid fucking questions and then he could get the fuck out of there.

Shane was the one doing the questioning, which was a good thing. Not that Merle liked Shane Walsh. He was pretty sure the son of a bitch had a real hard thing for Carol. Merle wanted to knock that idea right out of the man's head. But he didn't say anything out of the way. He didn't know how it happened but he figured he was now a suspect in Ed's disappearance.

"Okay, Merle." Shane mumbled as he glanced once more at a folder he was holding. "Can you tell me when was the last time you saw Heather Pierson?"

Merle frowned. What the hell was this dickweed talking about? "I don't believe I even know a Heather Pierson." He said, his eyebrows pulling together.

Shane looked up with a frown of his own and then glanced back down at the paper in his hand. He flipped through a folder that was lying in front of him on the table and opened it up. He turned it around so Merle could see the glossy photo that was paper clipped to the file. He recognized the woman immediately. Her bleached blonde hair and her washed out face that may have pretty before she got hooked on the hard shit. She was the same one Daryl had ran out of his bed.

"I know her. I didn't know her name, though. We hung out a few times." Merle shrugged. "She tryina' pin somethin' on me or some shit, cause I'm tellin' ya. I ain't left Carol's sight since we moved in. I've been walkin' the straight and narrow."

"People said that you were sleepin' with her." Shane said, as he studied Merle's face carefully.

"I fucked her once." Merle shrugged. "I wouldn't call that _sleepin'_ with her."

"But you just said you didn't know her name." Shane glanced back down at the picture and then closed the file.

"I didn't know her name." Merle said honestly.

Shane just shook his head. "Can you remember the last time you saw her?" He asked again.

Merle thought for a second and then nodded. "Last week sometime. Can't much remember the day exactly though. Is she wanted for somethin'?"

Shane once again studied him before answering. "She's dead." He said bluntly.

Merle blinked. "No shit? Like them other women?" He asked, not having to feign surprise.

Shane shook his head. "She'd had her brains half beaten out some time last night. This was different." He sounded as though he were mostly talking to himself. But then he got back to business. "So, you were home all night last night?"

Merle nodded. "We all were."

"Well, there's your alibi then." He looked up and smiled tightly. "Can you think of anyone that she might have pissed off? Maybe an old boyfriend or something?"

"Wish I did, but I can't really tell ya much about her. Not anything that would help y'all out anyway."

"Well, Dixon. You got your alibi so your free to go. If you think of anything though, even if it doesn't seem to be very important, give us a call."

Merle just nodded and waited for Shane to lead the way. He needed to call and have someone come pick him up. He sure as hell wasn't walking. Sure as shit one of those fancy ass people in one of them neighborhoods would spot him and call the law. Not just that, but he could feel those rodents chewing up his guts already. Maybe Daryl had been right. Maybe he shouldn't have gone off and cut his fix like that.

He called and Carol answered on the first ring. Not even saying hello.

"Merle?" She asked quickly. It made him feel strange to know she'd probably been waiting by the phone just for him. He wasn't used to anyone but his brother giving much of a fuck about him.

"Hey there, darlin'. Usin' my one phone call to tell ya bye. They're bookin' me." Shane shook his head and tried to hide an amused smile.

"Oh my God, Merle. No." She choked.

Merle stopped smiling when he heard the pain in her voice. He was starting to feel like a real son of a bitch. "Hey, I was fuckin' with ya, darlin'. Calm down and get your ass over here and pick me up."

There was silence on the other end of the phone for so long that he thought she had hung up on him. But then he heard her.

"You asshole!" She shrieked so loud that he had to move the phone away from his ear. Shane's smile widened as he leaned against the wall.

"I'm sorry. Jesus. You take everything too damn serious." He grumbled.

"Give me a few minutes. I should make you walk you jerk." She growled but he could hear the relief in her voice.

He hung up and made his way out of the station, leaning against the wall by the door. He wanted to curl up in his bed. He was ready to face whatever monsters would come. A few nights and it would be a little easier. He was close to being over it.

He leaned his head against the bricks and gazed out past the street, towards the shadows of a tree laden courtyard. He narrowed his eyes. There was one shadow that looked different than the others. It was darker. More distinct. He watched it without even twitching a muscle until, finally, the shadow moved closer to the sidewalk and then stopped once more. Now Merle could made out the shape of a man. Whoever it was was dressed in dark clothing and seemed to be staring right at him.

He blinked several times but the man was still there. Merle was seriously thinking about crossing the street and asking the dumb son of a bitch what the fuck he was doing staring at him. But then he remembered seeing Ed in his room more than one night while his brain was trying to come to terms with the lack of drugs in his system. This was probably just another phantom.

He closed his eyes and blew out a heavy breath, his head still leaning against the bricks. When he opened them the phantom was closer, right at the edge of the courtyard now. He watched it for a long time, the face was the only thing that was exposed. Everything else was clad in black and drenched in shadows from the trees.

He saw headlights in the distance and the phantom turned it's head to watch the car approach. Merle knew the sweet sound of the engine and knew it was his ride. The phantom didn't move as Merle shoved himself away from the warm bricks and walked towards the car.

Carol wasn't alone, of course. Buck was driving and Carol was glaring at him from the passenger window. Merle got in without a word and then glanced out his own. He smirked. He was close enough now where he could make out vaguely familiar features. Nah, this was definitely his addled brain fucking with him. What the hell would _he_ be doing creeping around in the dark?

"You feel okay?" Carol asked. All anger wiped clean from her face as she gazed at him from the front seat.

He shook his head, forgetting about the phantom and giving her a weak smile. "It's gonna be another bad one. Think you can handle it?" He arched an eyebrow at her.

She gave him a smile that was as weak as his own. "I do." She nodded.

~H~

Daryl watched from the bed as Carol quickly got dressed. They had barely had time to catch their breath when they heard Merle heaving from the room next door to theirs. He offered to go himself but she refused.

"There isn't any reason for you to be in there. I can make him feel better. I think he hates it when you see him like that. If it's just me he'll probably fall asleep faster."

He huffed. It was like having a big over grown baby that cried for it's mama all night. He instantly felt bad for looking at it that way but he couldn't help it. More nights than not she had to go to Merle. He was proud of his brother. He was shocked at the progress he had made. But he wanted to sleep in their room, in their bed, with _his_ woman.

But Merle needed her now and she would go, just like she always did because that was who she was. She wouldn't let Merle suffer alone. And Daryl wasn't going to ask her too. "Ya know, I'm startin' to think you're just usin' me for my body."

She shimmied her pajama bottoms up her hips and then she crawled across the bed and kissed him roughly. When she pulled back she looked at him with wide innocent eyes. "That's because I am." She deadpanned and then hopped off the bed.

He threw a pillow at her but missed. She smiled and left the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

He felt hungry. Again. He figured that was normal. He was young so he was _suppose_ to think about sex and food. That's what he was going to keep telling himself anyway. It was a lot fucking better than always thinking about work and bills. He dragged himself out of the bed and yanked his jeans on. He stopped outside of Merle's room and heard Carol talking to him softly. It was a strange thing seeing Merle like that. Other than Buck, Merle was the biggest meanest mother fucker he had ever known. He shook his head and walked on down the hall.

When he got to the kitchen he was surprised to see Buck already there. He glanced up at Daryl when he came in.

"Boy, that's all you do is eat anymore." Buck laughed. "And button yer goddamn pants for Christ sake. Your turnin' into Merle."

The microwave dinged and Buck grabbed a plate out and sat down on one of the bar stools while Daryl poured a bowl of cereal. "Bullshit. If I was turnin' into Merle I wouldn't be able to keep track of the girls I was..."

"Alright, point made."

Daryl sat in the next stool over and dug in, glancing at Buck quizzically as he chewed.

"What?" Buck asked when he caught him looking.

He was glad that he could look at the man without as much hate. It was still there. It probably always would be, but it wasn't like before. That was something. He couldn't ever remember just sitting down and having a normal conversation with him. He wasn't sure if he was really ready to test those waters but now Buck was looking at him, expecting an answer.

"You're weird, Buck." He said as he shoveled in another spoonful.

Buck narrowed his eyes but there was no malice in them. "The fuck you talkin' about?" he asked lightly.

"Well," Daryl said, around a mouth full of cereal. "You get outta the pen and come back here lookin' for us." He swallowed. "Then you meet Carol and you get weird." He shrugged.

Buck snorted. "That's stupid. That girl don't make me weird."

Daryl shook his head. "Yeah she does. She's got Merle all messed up. He's like a fuckin' pitbull when she's around. You do the same shit but you're worse."

Buck propped his elbow up on the counter and rested his chin on his closed fist. "She needs protectin'. She's had it hard, bein' married to Ed. A girl like that... well, it's the right thing to do."

Daryl side eyed him. "But sometimes you look at me like I'm some random asshole that's fuckin' your little girl. It's goddamn weird, Buck."

"You've lost your fuckin' mind, boy. And don't talk about her like that. You ain't just fuckin' her. If I thought that's what you was doin' I'd revert back to my old ways long enough to kick the shit outta you."

"See." Daryl shook his head.

Buck just grumbled and started eating his reheated left overs.

So, maybe he hadn't succeeded at a _normal_ conversation but it wasn't bad. It hadn't gone bad at all. He kept throwing the man tentative glances. Maybe Carol was right. Maybe they could get to a good place. Good for them anyway. He still couldn't help but be compelled to try to push a few buttons. Just to see if Buck really did have a hold on all that old anger.

"You're wrong." He said as he lifted the bowl of leftover milk.

Buck's eyes met his. "Bout what? He asked cautiously.

Daryl shrugged. "Maybe it ain't all it's about, but either way, Buck..." He grinned, "I fucked her." He lifted the bowl so he could drain the last of the milk. That wasn't something he would normally say to anyone, but he had to see what Buck would do about it.

"I promised myself I wouldn't lay a hand on you again. And I plan on keepin' my word." Buck's voice was a low rumble.

Daryl's eyes went back to Buck, the bowl still turned up. The old bastard was quick. And he kept his word. He didn't touch Daryl at all. But his hand snaked out, tipping the bowl so the whole damn thing poured down his face and onto his bare chest and then further, until the waistband of his jeans were soaking up the sugary milk.

"You son of a bitch!" Daryl growled as he wiped at is mouth.

Buck sat the bowl down on the counter and clapped Daryl on the shoulder. "Told ya boy, don't be talkin' about her like that. Now, ya best get this mess cleaned up."

Daryl glared at his back as he walked away but then he felt the corners of his mouth turn up slightly. He really hoped he wasn't setting himself up just to let Buck crush him. But he couldn't help feeling good about everything. Everything except for the sticky ass mess the asshole made.

**I know what some of you are probably thinking. You may want to bring up the fact that Daryl was a little OOC in this chapter. I really despise that term. But some people like to throw it around like a grenade. Not that any of you have ever done that to me. I think I probably have somehow landed the most helpful, inspiring, kind hearted exuberant reviewers out there. I just want you to keep in mind that Daryl wants his dad. It's that simple. He's still young. Still got some hope thriving in there. And that was what I wanted to bring out in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! Now, I am pretty sure if I don't get my ass in bed I will fall out of my chair before I have a chance to post this! Goodnight! =)**


	28. Chapter 28

**I am happy to be able to give you guys a longer chapter. The last few have been pretty short. Either my computer or my internet service is still a bit on the fritz so you have to forgive me for not getting back to all of you. It's a hit or miss whether I can respond or not. Please don't think I don't appreciate you all for reading. I assure you, I do! I have to say thank you to soa loving mom for being such a sweet woman and sending some of you my way and giving me so much encouragement. Green Owl, I owe you the same! You pimp this like a pro. Bekah, I don't even have to say it. You already know ;) No Bekah, no chapters! Hannah, thank you for your constant company, Now go make icing! **

**The rest of you are amazing and keep me writing. I want to name off everyone that inspires but i would need to designate a whole chapter to do it. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I also hope that you all have a good morning. It's goodnight for me!**

Chapter Twenty Eight

Carol was slow to wake. She was comfortable where she was. She wriggled her back further into Daryl's chest and smiled. The arm locked around her waist was heavy with sleep. Maybe a little too heavy. And maybe the chest that her back was pressed against was a little too broad. She opened her eyes and blinked, slowly lowering her head until she could see the arm around her, a large hand, familiar but unwelcome, splayed flat against her stomach.

"Damn it, Merle!" She groaned as she scooted herself to the edge of the bed.

His eyes snapped open and then narrowed. "Get outta my room." He grumbled as he rolled over and pulled a pillow over his face. "Can't you just let a man sleep? Jesus."

"I was asleep." She grumbled. "We have to stop doing this. It isn't... normal."

He pulled the pillow off his face once more and looked at her with an amused expression. "Ain't nothin' about this house normal."

She stood up and ran a hand through her hair. "I wont argue with you there."

He dragged the pillow back over his face. "That's a first." He muttered.

She was going to kill Daryl. He should have woken her up when he came in to give Merle his dose. She rolled her eyes. That was the term she always used. Dose. It was a safer word than fix. But he hadn't woken her up. He had just let her sleep there. Was he getting pissed off about all the time she spent with Merle at night?

She glanced at Merle's window before she hurried out of the room. It was barely daylight. She found her own bed empty. Of course it would be. She felt horrible for falling asleep with Merle but she felt miffed that Daryl had just left her there.

She grabbed a thin vintage t-shirt and a pair of cut off shorts before she hurried to the bathroom to take a quick shower. She didn't even bother locking the door anymore. Locked doors never deterred Merle anyway so there was really no point. Sure enough, she heard the door open about halfway through.

"Hey, did my brother say anything about goin' anywhere this mornin'?"

She frowned as she rinsed herself. "No. He's gone?"

She heard him shut the medicine cabinet. "Yeah. Him and Buck both."

"Where would they have gone this early?" She asked. "Towel."

He put the towel in the hand that she had stuck out of the shower curtain. "Don't ask me." He said around a mouth full of what she figured was toothpaste.

She was starting to feel worried. Surely he hadn't been upset with her enough to leave without telling her where he was going or when he would get back. He wouldn't have. That was way out of character for him.

"Okay, I'm done." Merle said right before she heard the door close.

She dressed quickly and hurried down the stairs. Merle was sprawled out on the couch flipping through the channels. He was a total couch potato sometimes. She went to start the coffee pot that she had prepared the night before. Sitting next to it was the memo pad that normally hung on the fridge.

_Carol,_

_Found some poles in the workshop. Me and Buck were bored so now we're fishin'. Wipe the grin off your face. We ain't bondin'. Be back later. Don't leave without Merle._

_Daryl..._

She couldn't wipe the grin off her face. They were fishing? How could men do that _without_ bonding? She reread the last line. Maybe her and Merle should get out of the house too. Yesterday had been... strangely fun. That was something about this town that she liked. With all of the quaint little shops and parks and the cafe, there was always people meandering about and there was always something to do. Not that Merle would enjoy any of that but he could always stop in at the bar and visit some old friends.

She stopped in her tracks as she was walking towards the living room to ask him if he wanted to do just that. Was she an idiot? There was no way he could go to that bar! That was where his old friends used to hang out. God, she needed to get her head out of the clouds. But she still wanted to get out of the house. He probably wouldn't mind too much to walk around with her. He seemed pretty bored himself.

She found him in the same position she had left him in. Lying on his back on the couch with his legs hanging over the arm. She sat down close to his head.

"They went fishing." She grinned.

He tilted his head back so he could look at her. He snorted. "Father son bondin'?"

"It's a good thing, Merle." She said quietly.

"I know it is." He said as his eyes went back to the screen.

"So, what do you want to do today?" She asked, hoping he wouldn't say 'watch t.v.'.

"Watch t.v." He muttered. "Maybe go work on that motor." He shrugged.

"We should go out." She said tentatively.

He sighed. "There ain't nothin' to do around here."

"We could go grab one of those coffees you liked so much." She teased.

"Psht. No way. You'd just tell my brother and he'd give me shit for it."

"Beth might be in town. You never know." Carol said innocently.

Merle tilted his head back again. "No shit?"

"No shit." She deadpanned.

He huffed and then pulled himself up off the couch and reached for her hand. "Fuck it. I'm sick of sittin' here all the damn time anyway."

She grinned and let him pull her up. She was happy at the prospect of getting out and socializing. And it made Merle look good to be seen out with her and not hiding in the house or being seen going into that bar. She still couldn't believe she had thought he should go there. And if he wanted too then she would go with him. She had super nagging powers that could keep him out of trouble.

It was still early so she decided to make them breakfast before they went anywhere. He sat on the counter in the kitchen with the stereo turned up and watched her cook. It was funny because she always sat on the workbench in the garage and watched him work.

They ate in comfortable silence for a while. It was Carol who finally broke it. "Do you think Buck and Daryl are going to be okay?" She asked.

Merle looked thoughtful as he gazed out the window. "I think they will. But my little brother's got some trust issues when it comes to our daddy. Buck was a lot harder on him than he was me. I was always the one Buck was proud of. I spose cause I'm just like him. Or I was."

"But why? Why was he so bad to him?" She asked quietly. She didn't want to think bad about Buck. She didn't know the man that they had known growing up. She knew the man that had threatened Ed if he ever came near her again. The man that sat by the water with her and shared some of his past. The man that was so much like the dad that she wished her dad had been. It was hard for her to think of him as anything other than that.

He looked up at her and shook his head. "That's Daryl tale, darlin'. Or Buck's. It ain't my place to talk about that. I don't like getting into all that deep shit anyhow. Makes me wanna go shoot up." he winked at her.

"That's not funny, Merle." She grumbled as she finished her eggs.

He smirked but didn't say anything else.

She went upstairs after washing what dishes they had dirtied up so she could finish getting ready. Merle wanted to take his bike and she was not going to argue. She was starting to think she needed one of her own. She laughed at her reflection in the mirror as she braided her unruly hair. She didn't think she would ever get the knots out of it when she had gotten home yesterday after riding back from the lake with Daryl. She wasn't about to let that happen again.

She also grabbed a pair of sunglasses off her dresser. She paused before she walked away and smiled down at the clutter. His stuff was now mixed up with hers. His deodorant, a pack of gum, his own sun glasses, loose nails he had found in his pocket. She didn't know why the hell she found herself smiling at that. She jotted down a quick note of her own and sat it in the same spot he had left one for her. Just in case they got home before her and Merle.

Merle was in the garage already when she came down. "You ready?" She asked as she turned off the stereo. He was always listening to loud music.

He nodded and swung his leg over the bike. She was glad she remembered the glasses because she could actually see the houses and trees whip by without her eyes being half closed. Yeah, she really needed her own bike.

They pulled in and Carol was happy to see that none of the people outside of the coffee house were staring at them. Some heads were turned but they didn't gawk like they had the first day they had came here. That was a good sign. Her and Merle ordered the same thing and then went outside to find a table. The place was packed since it was still too early for the sun to really make the day miserable and the humidity wasn't near as bad as it had been the day before.

Carol glanced around and then finally she noticed someone waving. Andrea and Lori were sitting together at one of the larger tables and there were two extra seats. They made their way over to them hurriedly.

"Looks like the whole town showed up." Lori said as they sat down.

"Yes, it does. How are you guys?" Carol asked.

"As good as can be expected." Lori said as the smile fell from her face.

Carol just nodded and then stared off in thought. She had been scared before because it all seemed to hit so close to her. This time, however, she had no idea who the woman was. She hadn't been near the place where she had been murdered. Maybe she had just been jumping to conclusions. She hated that anyone was dead at all, but she couldn't help but feel relieved that it hadn't been anyone that she knew or was close too.

"Merle Dixon, are you drinking a frapp?" Andrea asked, unable to hide the grin on her face.

Merle glanced up at her and smirked right before he used his tongue and dipped it into the whipped cream seductively. He winked.

Lori giggled behind her hand and Andrea rolled her eyes. Carol blushed furiously because she instantly thought of Daryl.

"Isn't that your little girlfriend over there, Merle?" Andrea asked as she inclined her head to the side.

Merle turned slightly and caught sight of her just as Carol did. "Well, I be damned. You was right Carol." He turned and grinned at her.

Beth sat in a chair with a forgotten cup of coffee in front of her and a book blocking half her face. She was sitting alone.

"Go talk to her, Merle." Carol urged.

He glanced back at her, an unsure expression on his face. She knew what he was thinking and she had to roll her eyes. "I'll be fine, Merle. It's daylight and we're in a crowded place. I don't need you acting like my body guard. Go talk to Beth."

He still seemed torn but he finally shrugged and got up. Carol watched as he sat down across from Beth. When the girl looked up she instantly dropped the book. Her eyes lit up and a huge smile spread across her face.

"I have to say, that isn't something I ever saw coming." Andrea mused as she watched the two strike up a conversation quickly.

"I think its sweet. It just shows how much Merle has come out of his shell since Carol's been around." Lori said as she, too, watched the odd couple. Merle already had the girl laughing.

"Merle can be a real charmer when he really wants to be." Carol said with a grin as she watched him with the Beth.

"It's so strange." Andrea said as she propped her head up with her hand.

"What is?" Carol asked as she dragged her eyes away from their table. The three of them were starting to look like stalkers.

Andrea met her eyes. "Them then and them now. You must be some sort of sorceress or something. They are all so different now. You know, I had never even heard Daryl's voice before he met you? And Merle? There was no hope for that man. None. And here you come and now look at him." She gestured towards the other table. Carols eyes followed hers.

Merle had just gotten done taking a drink and he had a smudge of cream on the corner of his mouth. Beth reached out and wiped it off with her thumb, causing Merle's eyes to go wide as the girl grinned at him.

"Maybe it would have happened sooner if someone would have actually given them a chance before now." Carol noted dryly.

Andrea and Lori at least looked a little sheepish.

"What about Buck?" Lori asked with wide eyes. "How in the world did you tame _that_ man in such a short amount of time?"

Carol shook her head. "I had nothing to do with that one. Buck was a changed man before I ever met him."

They soon turned to idle chat to fill in the silence. None of them mentioned reformed Dixon's or murdered women.

Carol kept glancing towards Merle's table and eventually her eyes landed on the book the girl had been reading. There was a used book store just a few block away and it had been so long since she had been able to just relax with a good book. They still had a few days before they could go back to work and it seemed like a good a time as any to go browse for something. Merle was preoccupied with Beth so hopefully he wouldn't insist on following her. She was tired of always being looked after like she was a little girl.

She said her goodbyes to Lori and Andrea, Andrea promising to stop by later if she found the time. Carol thought of the way she had looked at Buck yesterday and decided that Andrea was definitely going to stop by. She wouldn't be able to resist a chance to see him.

Merle glanced up at her as soon as she was next to their table. He didn't look very happy. "You ready to go already? We just fuckin' got here."

She shook her head. "I wanted to check out the book store."

He grumbled and was about to get up but she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "No. you stay here. Hang out. It's a few blocks away and it's broad daylight. I'll be fine. You know you don't want to go to that store." She smiled but he looked even more unhappy now than he did when he thought that he was going to have to go with her. "I'll be fine." She repeated.

He glanced around, like anyone there could be a potential threat to her. He shook his head and went to get up again.

"Beth, a little help here?" Carol asked as she smiled at the girl.

Beth nodded sagely and then grabbed Merle's hand before he could stand up all the way. "She'll be fine, Merle. The only reason I came all the way to town was cause I was hopin' I'd see ya here." Her eyes were huge and pleading.

Merle lowered himself back into his chair, Beth's words seeming to have caused him to forget why he had gotten up in the first place.

Carol wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and planted a quick kiss to his cheek. "I'll be back soon."

She didn't wait for him to say anything. She gave Beth a grateful look as she walked by but Beth was looking happily on at Merle.

She waved at Dale who was sweeping the stoop outside of the bar. He smiled kindly and waved back. She kept her eyes peeled, searching for danger even though she knew that she was out in the open in the sunshine. It was still smart to keep your wits about you. She was almost too the book store when a woman stepped out of one of the shops and nearly knocked her over.

"Excuse me." Carol said politely.

"My fault." The woman smiled.

Carol took in the woman's appearance and decided that she definitely hadn't seen her around before. She was older than Carol herself but she couldn't guess how old. Just that she was at least in her late thirties. She had dark hair streaked through with a brilliant red. Her face, what wasn't covered by an oversized pair of sunglasses, was beautiful. She was dressed in black leather boots, skin tight jeans, a white tank top that clearly showed her black bra and a black leather vest that reminded her vaguely of the one that Daryl had hung on the post at the foot of her bed at home. And she was still standing in front of Carol. Blocking her way.

Although Carol couldn't see the woman's eyes she could tell that she was sizing her up, she just didn't know why. She decided to be polite about this strange run in. She held out her hand. "I'm Carol Mason. I don't think we've ever met before."

The woman only hesitated for a few seconds before shaking Carol's hand. "Jenna." She said and then smiled. "I believe I've heard of you. Aren't you the girl that's shacked up with the Dixon clan?" She asked bluntly.

Carol could feel her face burning. She wasn't sure how to respond to that. "I... They live in my house, yes." She muttered, feeling extremely intimidated and not even sure why.

Jenna just nodded, that humorless smile returning to her lips. Carol noticed a few silver rings on her fingers. One was a small skull with a thin snake wrapped around it. The other was a wide spoon ring worn on her thumb. She frowned. There was something familiar about that thumb ring but she couldn't think while this woman's shielded gaze was drilling holes in her face.

Finally Jenna moved over a step. "Well, Carol Mason. It was nice to finally meet you." She said as she started to walk away.

"Um... You too, Jenna." She said quietly as she watched the woman get into a black SUV. What the hell was_ that_? She was a little stunned as she made her way into the book store. She kept glancing over her shoulder for some reason. The woman gave her an uneasy feeling.

~H~

"Ain't a damn thing bitin' today." Daryl grumbled as he cast his line back into the green water of the river.

"Goddamn bugs are. That's about it." Buck said as he set his pole down and grabbed a can of Coke out of the cooler they had brought from home.

"This was a bad idea." Daryl said as he sat down near the waters edge and leaned back on his elbows. They had been out here for hours, leaving before the sun had even came up and hadn't caught anything. Unless it was malaria from all the fucking bugs buzzing around their heads. He was about to call it a day and pack all their shit back up.

"Nah, it wasn't a bad idea. Never can tell when the bastards will take the bait."

They hadn't said a whole lot to each other but when they did speak it was civil. Daryl didn't have any biting words for the man today. He was tired of fighting. Tired of trying to push Buck away. All he could do was try as hard as he could to make things decent between them, even if he didn't think he ever would trust him. He hoped some day Buck would prove him wrong. He needed to do it for Carol but he also knew he needed to do it for himself.

When he had woken up, before the sun even came up, he felt better than he had in a while. He felt lighter. Carol had been right. He was the one holding on to all of that anger. He just needed to let it go. But that was easier said than done. He wasn't like her. He couldn't just forget things and move on with his life. He let things eat him alive and it wasn't good for anybody involved.

"Your brother's getting better a lot faster than I ever thought he would." Buck said as he gazed out over the sluggish water.

Daryl nodded. "He ain't never got this far before. He's gonna kick it this time."

Buck nodded. "I think you're right. Wonder what made him stick with it this time." He said absently as he tossed a rock into the water. Daryl wasn't going to bitch about it scaring the fish away. Apparently there wasn't any fish to scare. He tossed one himself.

"Carol." He smiled. "She's stubborn as fuck. Refused to believe he wouldn't get better. Guess it made him feel like somebody had faith in him. I never tried that before."

"Can't much blame ya for that one, boy. It's kinda hard to have faith in other people when you're used to carryin' them on your back."

Daryl glanced over at him but Buck was still not looking at him. "I guess." He muttered as he pulled his knees up and draped his arms across them.

The silence stretched on for a long time before Buck said anything else. His words had Daryl's pulse picking up.

"What did I do that night? What caused it?" he asked quietly as his eyes stayed on the river.

Daryl shook his head. He'd been waiting to tell him everything about that night. But after what went down in the kitchen last night he wanted the complete opposite. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't really want that night to haunt them _both_. "Don't matter." he mumbled.

Buck turned his head and looked at him for a long time. Their eyes locked. "I need to know what I did, boy." There was a desperate edge to his gruff voice.

"I went to school that day..." Daryl's voice got lower. "I was walkin' out to the yard to sit in the truck till it was over. Wasn't like I had anybody to hang out with."

"And then she was there." Buck muttered.

Daryl nodded. "She was. Standin' right by the goddamn truck, waitin'."

Buck nodded. "I remember that. I got wind she was back in town and so I went lookin' for her. I saw her there."

"I couldn't believe it when I seen her. Thought she was a goddamn ghost. But there she was, grinnin' from ear to ear. I didn't know what the fuck to say to her. I was happy to see her but I was still so fuckin' pissed."

Buck turned his head and stared at Daryl for a few more seconds before looking away again.

"She told me she didn't have no choice. Said if she hadn't taken off when she did that you'd have killed us all. She said you'd lost it."

"I'd have killed her..." Buck's voice was so low Daryl barely heard his words.

"She said she had ran into some money and had a place back in Arizona. She wanted me to go home and get as much of my shit as I could and she'd take me back with her. I asked her if she was plannin' to take Merle too and she no. She said Merle was a lost cause. Merle was you made over and she didn't have time for his bullshit. She told me not to tell him she was back. Shoulda known then that she hadn't changed much. But she was my only way out. She hadn't never done the things you did. The only thing she did was leave. She hadn't ever hurt either of us. I just wanted the pain gone. So I told her I would go."

"She told me." Buck said. "She called and she told me that she was takin' ya with her."

This answered a lot of painful questions for Daryl. He never really knew how Buck had known. But she had told him. Why the fuck would she have done that to him? He always thought maybe someone else knew and let it slip. He never knew it was his own mama. He was having a hard time swallowing. He didn't have to talk right away because Buck went on.

"I was with it enough to let her know that if she tried I'd kill her. I'd kill ya both. That was what I told her."

"You came in right after I did. You was all fucked up. I hadn't ever seen ya that bad before. Merle was already high as a kite, nodded off on the couch."

"I don't even remember what I was on. I swear I don't."

Daryl nodded. "You asked me if I'd had a good day. I knew somethin' was wrong then. You asked if I had seen her but I didn't wanna tell ya that I had. I knew what would happen but you already knew. So I lied. That was when you broke my jaw."

Buck flinched and shifted slightly.

"So then I told ya she had came and that she was gonna get me outta there. I fucked up. I was pissed off and I told you that I wished you was dead. I said I hoped she'd fucked around on ya way before James cause then there'd be a chance I wasn't no kin to the likes of you. That's when I got my eye socket shattered."

"Jesus fuckin' Christ." Buck choked.

"But you couldn't knock me out. You kept tryin' but it didn't work. You was laughin'. Said you hoped the same fuckin' thing since I wasn't nothin but a pussy anyway. The only son ya needed was Merle cause Merle was a man. That was somethin' you knew I'd never be.

"Somebody knocked on the door then. I thought it was her. I thought she was gonna get me outta there. I tried to make it to the door but I didn't get there in time. My ribs was broke by then. Wasn't movin' too fast. You grabbed me, yanked me back down the hall. I tried to get away and that was when you slammed the back of my head into the wall. I remember you was laughin' about that too. I guess it was so bad they couldn't believe my brains was still inside my skull. That's what the doctors said when I woke up." His voice was like a monotone. Emotionless. On the inside his guts were twisting painfully. His chest ached. His throat felt like it was closing. But he went on.

"It wasn't her knockin'. It was the cops. That's what I learned when I woke up. My jaw was wired shut and I had a brand new eye socket. Mama never came back. I thought she would. I thought since you got locked up that she'd finally come get us both, get Merle some help. But we didn't hear anything from her again." He glanced over at Buck, needing to know the truth. "Did you kill her? Is that why she never came back for me?"

Buck had his knees pulled up to his chest, his head hanging between his arms. He shook his head. "I didn't kill her." He said in a thick voice.

Daryl wasn't sure how he felt about that either. He'd thought Buck had killed her that day and that was why she had never came for him. But if he hadn't then she just took off, livin' it up out west, while him and Merle were on their own. It didn't matter that Merle had been in his twenties. Merle was an addict way before Buck showed him the glories of heroin. He couldn't have taken care of himself. And she had left them.

That was at least one thing about Buck that he could vouch for. He'd never abandoned them. He'd beaten the hell out of him and made every day of his life a living hell, but he hadn't ever bailed on them. Maybe that was one of the reason's Merle forgave him all the time. But he couldn't say the same for his mom. That was a different story. He couldn't help but stare at Buck.

"I think we should just go on. We ain't gonna catch anything out here." Buck said without raising his head.

Daryl nodded, even though the other man couldn't see it. He reeled in his line, his back to Buck. When he finally turned around Buck was on his feet, his back to him, grabbing the cooler and his pole. He swiped at his face a few times and Daryl couldn't help but wonder if he was shedding tears for the torment he had caused. He hung his head and headed towards the truck.

Daryl followed behind wordlessly. Maybe he shouldn't have told him all of that. Maybe he should have kept that shit where it belonged. In his own head. He'd been dying to throw that night in Buck's face. But when he'd woken up this morning and things seemed to be so much more clear, he didn't figure he would ever tell him. But he had. And from what he could tell just by the way Buck was moving, he'd done the very thing he had always wanted to do. Up until last night anyway. He'd broken the man.

**I needed to explain some of the back story and figured this chapter would be the best one to do that. Hope you enjoyed it!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Good morning! This is a little late, sorry about that! Some of you asked if I was basing this Jenna lady on the infamous Gemma from Sons of Anarchy. Honestly? Their attitudes are very similar. I personally LOVE Gemma but I'm probably not going to like Jenna too much. Good eye, girls ;) I know, I wasn't feeling all too creative. Anyhow, I like this chapter. Beth just may come off as a bit... cringe... OOC but only for a few small minutes. She isn't OOC in this too me. I see Beth as a lot stronger than some people give her credit for. We are expecting some pretty bad storms to roll through this evening so my internet may be lost. If you don't see a post tomorrow morning then that is why. I could probably use some of your good vibes sent my way. Last time we had bad storms a tree fell on my house! But my internet was still working so I posted a chapter anyway ;) That was me, giving mother nature the finger. Thank you all for reading! Be safe tonight if you're in the midwest!**

Chapter Twenty Nine

Merle was starting to get anxious. He never should have let Carol take off by herself. It didn't matter what the fucking weather was like, the town wasn't safe. She wasn't safe. And he was stupid enough to let her go. He stiffened when he felt a soft touch on his arm. He looked down at Beth's wide eyes.

"Would ya like to walk down to that bookstore?" She asked. "You look real worried."

He glanced around once more. It had been a good half an hour since she took off alone. Surely it don't take a girl that long to buy a book. He nodded and stood up quickly. Beth joined him, walking briskly to keep up with his longer strides.

Once they hit the sidewalk he was nearly power walking towards the book store. "I shouldn't have let her go by herself." He grumbled, more to himself than the small blonde that was still trying to keep up with him.

"Sometimes a girl just wants to be alone, Merle. There isn't anything wrong with that." Beth offered, sounding a little winded.

Merle glanced down at her and then slowed his pace. "I know, but it ain't safe here. Not right now. If somethin' ever happened to her..."

"Merle." Beth took his hand, the contact strangely comforting. "Nothin's happened, okay. Buyin' books takes a while. She hasn't even been gone long."

He looked down at their hands, hers dwarfed by his much larger one. He met her eyes briefly and then she pulled her hand back, flushing slightly.

"Oh, damn, Dixon! Got yourself a fine little piece, there don't ya?"

Merle looked up and there stood two guys that he recognized instantly. Guys he'd known most of his life. Guys that, up until a week ago, he had spent most of his time with. There was a woman with them that he also knew. Well, he sort of knew. He didn't remember her name but he remembered she was a bad lay. And he remembered she'd do any kind of drug you could give her.

"Best watch your mouth there, Lewis. Before you gotta get it wired shut." Merle growled. With one hand he pushed Beth behind him, secretly hoping they would go away without him being forced to beat one of them to death.

"Well, no need to get pissed off there, Merle. We been wonderin' where ya been. Stopped by a few times when we saw your brother's truck gone. Neighbors said ya'll bailed. You've missed out on some sweet stuff, my friend."

Merle felt his resolve slip just a little. Lewis always got the best shit. But he couldn't help but really focus on how these people looked. They looked bad. Too skinny. Eyes sunken and glazed over. Bad teeth protruding through dry lips. They looked like fucking zombies. He was thankful then that it had never happened to him. Somehow he was still as big as he was when he was twenty. His body hadn't wasted away the way theirs had.

"Are you gonna introduce us too your little girl here?" The woman sneered and to his surprise Beth was about to step out from behind him but he stopped her. She didn't look too happy but she didn't look afraid of them like he thought she would be.

"Hey Merle." Carol said as she appeared behind the three newcomers clutching a small bag.

Three heads turned to look at her. He was so relieved to see her there that he had momentarily forgot about them. He finally let Beth come around from behind him. Carol had a way of soothing his nerves but right now she was making him more nervous. He didn't want her or Beth anywhere near these fucks.

"You ready to get the hell outta here?" He asked her as she glanced towards the group that were looking at her.

"I think that would be a good idea." She said and the venom in her voice was not lost on the others. The woman's eyes narrowed as she took a step closer to Carol.

"I know about you. You're Ed Peletier's wife. So it's true? You really are the girl that the Dixons get to share." The woman elbowed Lewis who started checking her out appreciatively.

Merle didn't hit women. He never had before and he never planned too, but this bitch was really starting to piss him off. He couldn't believe he'd fucked her. What the fuck was wrong with him? He was about to say something but he didn't have time.

"I'm sorry. You must have me mistaken for someone with no morals. You see, some women actually can spend time with men without sleeping with every one of them. I'm sure a person like you has no idea what I'm talking about, but it's the truth." Carol said calmly.

Merle watched as the woman took a few long seconds to process what Carol had said and then her eyes narrowed and she took another step towards her. "What is that suppose to mean? I think ya might wanna recognize who you're talkin' to little girl."

"I know exactly who I'm talking to." Carol spat, losing that calm that she had exuded only a few seconds ago. Merle couldn't even find his voice. He'd never seen her look so pissed off. Not even at him and he pissed her off all the time.

"I don't think you do." The woman spat taking one more step.

"I'm looking at some strung out junkie that has about five seconds to get out of my face before she gets her ass kicked."

Merle about choked then. He was pretty sure Carol had never been in a fight in her whole life but there she stood, looking like she intended to make good on her word. But Merle knew that the other woman had probably given just as many beatings as she had gotten and it might not end to well for Carol. And he wasn't going to just stand there and let her get her ass kicked.

Lewis and the other guy, Gary, were both standing there, almost salivating at the prospect of getting to watch the two face off.

Instead of taking Carol's advice and backing up the woman just moved closer and then, to everyone's surprise, she shoved Carol.

Beth gasped and was about to take a step forward but Merle had her around the waist. The one he should have went for, however, was Carol. The look that came over her then reminded Merle of Buck. She threw her bag down on the sidewalk and pounced on the woman like an angry cat. The other men backed up as their female companion landed hard on her back, with Carol on top of her, and then let out a shrill angry shriek. She reached up and tried to hit Carol but she wasn't as fast as Carol was. Carol ducked her head away from the woman's fist and then slapped her right in the face.

Merle let go of Beth then and went to pry the angry women apart but as soon as he grabbed hold of Carol the other woman rolled her, pinning Carol to the ground. Carol tried bucking her off but the woman was a bit bigger than her and Carol wasn't an experienced fighter. Being on your back wasn't really a bad thing in a fight. If you knew what you were doing you could really do some damage.

"Merle, do somethin'!" Beth hissed.

He tried once more to grab for one of them but they rolled, hitting his legs and causing him to fall right on his ass on the sidewalk. Then he heard a familiar sound. He looked up in horror as Daryl's truck swung into the parking spot next to the sidewalk. And then he noticed other people surrounding them. Dale was there, looking like he really wanted to do something to help. A few more people from the bar that he recognized. Lori and Andrea were hurrying over and then, to make it even worse, Shane and Rick were both coming out of the sandwich shop across the street. They weren't in uniform but still. This sucked.

He scrambled up off the sidewalk and looked down just in time to see Carol finally roll the woman back over and then she swung, punching the woman right in the forehead. She actually hissed in pain and shook the hand that was probably fractured. You never wanted to punch a person in the forehead but she didn't look like she had much form as far as fighting went.

"Carol?" He looked up in time to see Daryl push through the crowd. Carol looked up at the sound of his voice and took a nasty hit to the eye for her troubles.

That got her attention and she proceeded to try to hit the woman once more, this time with her left hand. It landed but not with enough force to do much damage. It just grazed the woman's jaw. She didn't have a chance to try again because all of a sudden one thick arm wrapped around her waist and then she was gone. Buck had her lifted completely off the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?" Buck grunted as she fought against him to try to get back at the woman who was scrambling up from the sidewalk. When she was on her feet she made a lunge for Carol, even though Carol was still at least a foot off the ground.

Carol seen her coming and tried to kick her although Buck was smart enough to start moving her back from the woman.

Beth had apparently had enough then. She stormed straight up to the woman, blocking her from getting any closer to Carol. "Don't you touch her while she can't fight back." Beth bit out angrily.

"You best get the fuck outta my..."

There was a collective intake of breath and then silence as little Beth Greene, the quiet farmers daughter, the shy and sweet girl that was quick to smile and never judged him, hauled off and hit the woman square between the eyes.

The woman reeled backwards a bit, like maybe she had been knocked a little stupid. She didn't go after Beth, who was watching her calmly.

"There's perks to bein' the baby in the family. You learn real quick not to take any crap." She muttered as she looked up at Merle who was gaping.

"What the hells going on here?" Rick asked as he finally broke through the crowd.

Carol had calmed down enough so Buck could put her on her feet. Daryl was finally able to get to her then. He tilted her head so he could see the angry red spot under her eye. It was going to be a hell of a shiner by tomorrow.

"She started it." Carol said, raising her chin and glaring at Rick.

Shane, apparently unable to see past the humor of the situation, was having a very difficult time holding in his laughter. He erupted, causing a lot of the crowd to jump in surprise. Rick glared at him as he struggled himself to hold it together.

"Okay, everyone break it up. There isn't anything to see here anymore. It's all over. Enjoy the rest of your morning." Rick said to the crowd still gathered around. Most of them did start to scatter. When the woman tried to make her way past them Rick grabbed her by the arm and shook her head. "Not you." He said with a shake of his head.

Merle happened to look at Daryl then, and he found what he expected. Daryl was glaring at him like this was somehow all his fault. Like he could control the boys wild ass woman. He glared right back.

They waited there until everyone dispersed and Shane was actually able to speak. Lori and Andrea had hung around, off to the side in their own little huddle.

"Okay, does any of you feel the need to press any charges against the other? Should we call in the law?" Shane asked.

Carol shook her head, as did the other woman.

Rick finally gave her the okay to go ahead and go. When it was only the nine of them left standing there Rick was finally able to laugh. "I never thought I would ever see the day." He shook his head.

Carol still looked like she could rip someone in half. It was actually pretty cute. Beth was still the epitome of calm as she picked up the bag Carol had tossed down and peeked inside before handing it over to her. Carol took it and then sighed. "Can we just go the hell home now?" She asked as she looked at Buck, who shrugged.

"Beth?" They all turned at the sound of a female voice behind them.

"Hi Maggie." Beth smiled.

Maggie Greene was standing there, holding hands with the Chinese kid Merle had seen several times that lived across the street. She eyed everyone around her suspiciously but when her eyes landed on Merle they turned downright cold. "You need to keep away from my sister." She glared.

"Maggie!" Beth hissed as she shot Merle an apologetic look.

"What'd daddy say, Beth?" Maggie asked as her eyes met her sisters.

"Up until the other day he always said don't judge lest ye be judged." Beth snapped.

Maggie ignored that. "We need to go."

"I'll go when I'm ready, Maggie. I'm not fightin' over this anymore. I can be friends with whoever I want to be friends with."

Maggie let out a heavy breath and her face softened. "Daddy's at the hospital. We need to go." Beth's eyes went impossibly wide but Maggie held up a hand before she could say anything. "He's okay. He took a fall and his leg is broken. They had to reset it. He'll be in there a few days."

"I gotta go. Sorry about... well, sorry about what happened. Maybe I'll see y'all later." She said as she hurried off with her sister.

Merle watched her go before he turned around towards the others. He wasn't in the mood for Daryl's shit so he looked right at Carol. "You ready to go?" He asked gruffly.

"Ain't you two gonna tell us what the hell just happened?" Daryl barked as he crossed his arms.

"She got in a goddamn fight. I thought you was more observant than that." He snapped.

Daryl scowled at him. "She can ride with us."

Merle just shrugged and walked to his bike alone. He was fine with that. He was starting to feel like shit. He wasn't stupid. He knew that the girls daddy wasn't gonna be too happy about her spending any time with him. He'd seen that much when he'd taken her home and Hershel and Maggie had been sitting on the porch. If looks could kill he'd have been a dead man. But Beth had simply smiled at him and thanked him for the ride. But of course she had caught hell over him as soon as he had pulled away.

He was pissed off at himself for even giving a fuck what they thought about him. Everybody thought that way about him. They always had. But this was different for some reason. Maybe it was because this was the most sober he had been in years. It's hard to care what people thought about you when you were all fucked up. She seemed like a stubborn one but it was hard to ignore people whispering in your ear. How long would it take that uppity sister of hers and her daddy to convince her that he wasn't any good. Hell, he really wasn't any good so it probably wouldn't take them long.

He mounted his bike and sped off without a backward glance at the rest of them. Being mostly sober was starting to be a real pain in the fucking ass.

~H~

Carol couldn't believe she had done that. She was still riding out an incredible adrenalin high. Her hands were shaking and her heart was racing and she didn't even feel the pain in her hand anymore. Buck and Daryl had her smashed between them. Daryl looked mad and Buck looked... she wasn't even sure. She didn't like the look on his face and she was hoping that her new found love for sticking up for herself wasn't somehow the cause of that look. He looked like a haunted man.

She glanced at Daryl. He was glaring at her. "What the fuck were ya thinkin'? Have ya ever even been in a fight before? Look at your goddamn hand! Ya don't punch people in the forehead, Carol! That's just common sense!"

He was totally killing her buzz. "I didn't have a choice."

"Cause she started it, right?" He shook his head.

"What is your problem?" She asked angrily. "The crazy lady shoved me. What did you expect me to do? Thank her and go on with my morning?"

He shot her an exasperated look. "You could have let Merle handle it."

"Why? Because I'm such a pansy that I can't even try to stick up for myself?" She was getting angry.

He gingerly picked her hand up from where it rested on her lap. "You know you probably cracked a knuckle on that whores head, right? How good is your medical insurance? Cause if you ain't got any, and I'm guessin' you don't, then that's gonna come right outta our pocket."

She blinked, only really catching his last words. _Our pocket. _It was probably the sweetest thing she had ever heard him say. Of course he hadn't even realized that he had said it like that. But it kind of melted her heart a little. Things weren't just _her_ problem anymore. Things were _their_ problem. She reached up and kissed his jaw lightly. "You are the sweetest man I've ever met." She smiled.

He frowned. "Are you and Merle high or somethin'?" he shook his head and then looked out the side mirror but she saw his lips twitch like he had to force back a smile.

"We'll ice it when we get home. And I think we need to teach you how to fight, baby girl. That was pretty sad to watch." Buck said as he pulled into the driveway. Merle was there already but he was simply straddling his bike and gazing towards the porch.

"What the fuck..." Daryl breathed as he followed his brothers gaze.

"What's she doing here?" Carol frowned and then when she finally looked at Buck she became worried. He was pale as a sheet, his hands clutching the steering wheel so hard she was sure she could hear it creaking in protest. She quickly glanced at Daryl. His eyes were wide, his mouth hanging open as he stared at the porch in shock.

"That's Jenna. I met her in town just a bit ago." She said, confusion clear in her words.

It was as though she hadn't spoken a word. They continued to stare at the woman. When she stood up from the top step she smiled. She didn't even glance towards Merle.

Buck turned his head back so he was looking straight ahead. Carol followed his eyes and as soon as Jenna walked past Merle she saw Merle's head drop slightly. What the hell was happening? Jenna stepped around the truck and then came right to the passenger door. The window was down.

"You gonna get out and say hello?" She asked Daryl.

Carol felt her stomach sinking. Especially when she really got a good look at the woman. She still looked young but it was obvious who this was. The eyes brought it all together. She'd seen an older picture of her when they were moving Merle and Daryl out of that little apartment.

Daryl opened the truck door and got out slowly. Jenna hugged him but his arms stayed slack. He looked like he was in shock. She pulled away but kept her hand on his shoulder as she pushed some of his hair out of his eyes. He just stared at her.

Carol looked at Buck. His breathing was heavy but he still stared straight ahead. His mouth was set in a grim line. Suddenly he flung the door open, grabbed her good hand without even looking and nearly dragged her out of the truck. He kept a solid grip on her hand as he stormed towards the house, she hurried to meet his strides. Merle climbed off the bike and with one lingering look at the woman behind them he followed.

Buck didn't let go of her hand when they got to the house either. It was starting to hurt. Merle shut the door slowly, his expression stunned, his eyes filled with pain. "We need to get some ice on that hand. Maybe that eye too." Buck grumbled as he led her to the kitchen.

He had her sit on one of the bar stools while he went to the freezer.

"Are either of you going to tell me what the hell is going on? Is that..." Carol wasn't able to finish her sentence before Buck spun around.

"That's Daryl's mama. And you keep the fuck away from the bitch, you hear me. I don't want you anywhere near her. She's a goddamn monster. You understand what the fuck I'm telling you?" He bit out angrily.

Carol nodded, too afraid to ask anything else. Merle stayed standing by the doorway, his eyes distant, lost in thought. She had always just assumed that their mother was dead. Daryl had been quick to change the subject of her the one time she was brought up. Now she knew where she had seen that ring. She was wearing it in the photo she had seen.

Buck slammed the bag of ice onto the granite so hard that Carol nearly jumped off of her stool. He ripped open a drawer and pulled out two sandwich bags.

"She looks too young to be their mama." She said hesitantly.

He looked up at her as he filled the baggies. "Cause the fuckin' devil don't age." He growled.

"She was sixteen when I was born. She's forty eight. She's probably had herself some work done. She's a vain bitch." Merle spat angrily.

Buck nodded in agreement.

"Where has she been? What do you think she's doing here?"Carol asked as Buck came around and sat on the other side of her. He pulled her injured hand closer and then put a dish cloth over her knuckles before adding the makeshift ice pack.

"No idea." Merle answered the question when it was clear that Buck wasn't going too. "I thought she was dead. Shoulda known I couldn't be that lucky."

"What does she want?" Carol asked again.

Buck looked up then, his eyes growing soft with what looked like pity before he looked down once more.

"She's here for my brother." Merle answered.

~H~

Daryl stared at her like she was a mirage. This couldn't be happening. Not right now. Not when he finally had everything he had ever wanted. She couldn't be here. But there was a part of him, that stupid boy that lived inside his head, the one that refused to look at things rationally, was happy she was here. She'd left him before but she had always loved him. She was the only one that had. Other than Merle of course and maybe...

"Where's your head at, baby boy?" She asked as she smoothed his hair back once more.

He finally found the good sense to jerk away from her, taking a few steps back. "What the fuck are you doin' here?" He asked, his voice low.

She didn't seem fazed by his tone or his actions. "I'm here for you." She smiled.

He shook his head. "You fuckin' told him! You called him up and you told him that you was takin' me. Why the fuck would you do that?"

She kept her expression neutral. "You don't hold a grudge. I can tell by the way you and that son of a bitch are a happy little family now. Along with that girl of yours and your junkie brother. What? No room for mama? I told him I was taking you because I thought he had the right to know. Unfortunately a DNA test proved that years ago."

"You never fuckin' showed. He almost killed me and you never even fuckin' showed up." He was trying to keep himself calm but it was hard. Telling Buck about what had happened had opened those wounds right back up and then he comes home to find her on his fucking porch. He had to be dreaming. He had to be. "I thought he'd killed you. This whole time I thought you was dead."

"But he can be the one to almost kill you and your standing here giving me grief for not showing up? You're smarter than that. You know exactly who he is, don't let yourself get sucked into his shit, Daryl. You're like me. You're way to smart for that."

He looked at her and shook his head. Fighting back that part of himself that wanted nothing more than for her to be here and to be real. "I ain't nothin' like you."

She just smiled. "So what? You meet a girl, fall in love, move into the suburbs and think that can make you a different man? It wont. You were just as willing as I was to leave your brother. You'd have walked away that day just like I did. Buck threatened to kill me if I tried to take you with me."

"If you'd have stuck around you woulda learned that he couldn't have hurt you. He was arrested that day. He wasn't around. And neither was you."

She crossed her arms and leaned against the truck. "I'm here now."

"I don't need you now." He spat. "I needed you then, we both did."

"You're really going to let Buck Dixon walk back into your life, fresh out of prison, and welcome him here with open arms? While shunning me? I've never laid a finger on you. I protected you from him."

"When you were there. But you were only around every now and then. I don't fuckin' need this shit. Merle and Carol don't need this shit."

"Carol." Jenna finally showed a little emotion at that. "She the one got your head all fucked up? I'm you're blood. Don't forget that. Don't let that little girl fill your head full of shit either, Daryl. She'd drop every one of you a lot faster than I ever did. She needs you here. That's all this is. I'm your family. Not her."

Daryl shook his head but Jenna was smiling again. The seed was planted. She knew him. She knew how hard it was for him to trust anyone. He knew that Carol wasn't like that. Was she? "You need to go." He muttered as he backed up one more step.

She shook her head. "You're gonna see, Daryl. Every one of them are going to let you down and when they do I'll be around. I know how long you've been here. There hasn't been enough time but eventually it'll happen. That's just life. That little girl will be fucking your brother in a month. And when she does, I'll be around. I'm sticking around for this one."

He glared at her as he backed up one more step. He didn't turn around until she did. He watched her walk away, to the SUV parked on the curb across the street from over his shoulder. He made his way up the steps slowly, feeling beaten down. He should have known that things couldn't be easy for him. Ever.

When he came in Merle and Carol had just entered the foyer. Buck was nowhere to be seen. They were both looking at him worriedly. He studied her for a few long moments before he looked away. When his eyes met Merle's he nearly flinched. Merle was on the verge of breaking down. Not in the normal way a man would break down. They were going to have to keep a close eye on him now. Daryl knew that look. Merle was wanting the drugs. He hadn't seen that want in his eyes for a while but right now it was eating him up.

"You okay?" Carol finally asked, drawing his tired gaze back to her. Her eyes were still the wide honest eyes she had always looked at him with but she, much like Merle, looked different somehow. She almost looked afraid.

He nodded and then watched as her and Merle shared a look.

"Buck's in the garage. Guess I'm gonna go help him." Merle said as he turned and walked away.

Daryl watched him go and then headed for the stairs. He needed to think about everything that had happened. But he didn't really want too. Not right now. He was still too shocked to even really process what had happened. He had never thought he would see her again. He had mourned her. She was gone and he had accepted that.

"Daryl." Carol whispered as he opened the bedroom door. She was getting good. He never even heard her behind him.

"What?" He asked as he went into the room. She shut the door behind her and leaned against it. She looked concerned. Afraid. He didn't know why. She wasn't the one with anything to worry about. He was.

"Are you thinking about leaving?" She finally asked.

He shook his head and looked away. "You ain't plannin' on fuckin' Merle, are ya?"

He heard her this time. She didn't cross the room lightly. "Why would you ask me that?" She asked, surprising him by sounding more hurt than angry. He could handle her anger. He couldn't handle hurting her.

He sighed. "Sorry."

"Did she say that that was going to happen?" She asked, forcing him to look at her.

He blew out a breath and met her eyes. Anger. He could deal with this. "She says a lot. I don't want you anywhere near her."

She reached up then, with her good hand, and placed it on the side of his face. "She can go to hell. Buck has let you down. Merle, he's let you down. From what little I know of her, she has too. I'm not them. I'm never going to be them."

He wasn't sure what to say to that. He just stared at her for a long time. Eventually she smiled, but it was a sad smile.

"How many times am I going to have to tell you that I'm not going anywhere?"

Still he could only look at her. She must have gotten sick of his silence because she pulled his face towards hers and kissed him lightly. "Tell me you aren't going anywhere." She demanded when she broke the kiss.

He rested his hands on her hips, feeling some of that confusion and anxiety ebb. "I ain't gonna go nowhere." He finally said.

"No matter what she says, you wont leave _me_?" She asked, emotion thick in her voice.

When she said it like that it made the declaration much different somehow. She knew it too and he couldn't help but wonder how afraid she might have to be to ask him something like that. That one little word tacked onto the end of that question gave it much more power. The last thing that she needed to worry about was him ever leaving _her_.

Jenna may have been right about him when she said that he was like her. When she said that he had been just as willing to leave Merle as she had been. And he _had_ been. But Jenna was very wrong if she thought for a second that he'd ever, in a million years, walk away from Carol. He pulled her until there was no space left between them.

"Ain't nothin' that woman could say that would make me even think about leavin' _you_." His voice was barely there but he knew she heard him. He didn't like putting his emotions on his sleeve. He didn't feel comfortable saying things like that. But he was glad he had. There was a subtle shift in the atmosphere of the room that went along with the subtle shift in this strange relationship they shared. He never took his eyes off hers as she nodded sagely. She could feel it too.

In the words of Merle Dixon. Shit just got real.

**A few of you... or several of you ;) have asked for more smut and I swear I'll get to it but I couldn't fit it in here. Keep reading! I'll deliver eventually =)**


	30. Chapter 30

**Not my favorite chapter by far! I was so paranoid about those storms last night that I am unhappy with how most of this turned out but I've learned that usually when I feel like that, you guys actually find very little wrong with the chapters so I am going to post it anyway. There is a lot of inner dialogue in this one. Sometimes that is necessary to answer questions that otherwise wouldn't get answered. Thanks for all that good juju that you sent my way. I was paranoid for nothing because the storms didn't come this far south! Me and my house are still intact XD Thank you all for reading! You are all so great! Any of you living east of Indiana, stay safe! **

Chapter Thirty

Merle could feel Buck's eyes on him as he worked. They were all going to be watching him like a hawk now. He wouldn't have a chance in hell to get any kind of fix and he needed it right now. Why couldn't they understand that? Sometimes a man just needed a way out. Needed to get out of his own head for a while. This was much worse than when Buck had showed up. It was for him, anyway. He'd been happy to see Buck. Him and Buck had always had a decent relationship. Maybe it wasn't like what most fathers and sons had but it was their own and it worked for them. It still did.

It seemed like this house was some sort of healer. As soon as the three of them walked into it it seemed like everything started getting better. He had wanted to be better. The weight had lifted from Daryl's shoulders, turning him into the boy he hadn't been able to be. Buck was still holding on strong. And him? He'd never been this close to freedom in his life. The pull that the drugs had over him seemed to lesson more and more. He'd been eager to finally not need it. To be a better man for his brother. Be a better man for himself. Carol's unwavering belief in him had him pushing harder and harder to let his demons go.

Carol. What was this going to do to her? Jenna, he felt himself scowling just thinking the name, wasn't going to give up. Merle didn't know what it was that made the woman so bad. He figured some people were just born that way. But he couldn't let her torment Carol the way she tormented him and Buck. He couldn't let her fill Daryl's head with her crazy bullshit. If she got through to him then Carol would be the one to suffer in the end. She loved the boy and he loved her. Merle didn't even know what the hell love was but it was the only thing it could be. And it didn't end there either. She looked past every single bad thing about all three of them, accepted them and their flaws, patiently guided them to be better versions of themselves, and she loved them without question. He'd never known that. He'd never thought he would. But if anyone could tear it away from them all it would be Jenna Dixon. Carol was the glue that was holding them all together but Daryl was the rock that kept Carol strong. They all needed one another in a very tangible way.

He thought of the nights that they spent together while he was a spazzed out puking blubbering mess. She didn't look at him with disgust. She didn't judge him and tell him that it was his fault that he was suffering. She was just there. She made it bearable. He'd never shared something like that with a woman. And Jenna could rip it all away. He'd never known kindness, until he had known her. He needed her. Not in the same way his brother did. Nothing like that at all. But it was a strong thing, this pull towards her he felt. She was his sister. Not that he's ever tell anyone that. But it was still the truth.

"Stop thinkin' about it son." Buck muttered as he reached for the wrench. "Your brother ain't stupid. He's prolly a little fucked up over this but he ain't dumb. He wont fall for her shit again. He ain't goin' no place."

Merle side eyed him for a few seconds. "What's gonna happen if he does. You know how she is with him. You know she ain't gonna give up till she has him all fucked up in the head again."

Buck sat the wrench down and then grabbed Merle by the chin and turned his head roughly. "Then she's gonna disappear. You understand. She ain't takin' this away from you two."

Merle met his eyes, hating himself for feeling nothing for the woman. He didn't feel the need to beg for her life. Because that was what was at stake. Buck would kill her before he let her ruin this for them. As long as he could remember Buck had never laid a finger on her. He had worshipped the ground the woman walked on, and she had destroyed him. Buck wouldn't let Jenna ruin their life but Buck was a big part of that life now.

Merle only nodded. Dread settling in his gut and his appetite for a fix shooting through the roof. Buck loosened his grip on his chin but kept his hand on his face.

"I'm proud of you, boy. Despite every fuckin' thing I've done to you, you're a good man. You and your brother both." He said in a strangled voice that had Merle's throat nearly closing. "And I know what you think you need. I feel the same way. But we ain't who we was, alright? Neither one of us are who we used to be. You're gonna be just fine. Don't let that woman make you feel any different, son. Don't let her win."

Merle's throat seemed to have closed up completely. He couldn't say anything at all. But he thought maybe Buck was right. Maybe things would be okay. He would be okay. He didn't need that woman. He had all the family he needed right here. And Buck wouldn't let her destroy that.

He still couldn't help but be afraid for Buck. He was trying to hard to just throw it all away over Jenna and end up right back in prison.

~H~

Carol couldn't stand the sad look still in his eyes. Buck had explained very little too her about Jenna and Daryl's relationship. But it was enough for her to know that the woman really was what they said she was. She was a monster. One of the worst kind. Buck had been a brutal man but, even though she knew it wasn't an excuse, it took drugs and alcohol to get him to that point. And she was sure he would never reach that point again.

They hadn't said anything else since he had told her that he wouldn't ever leave her. She had felt almost silly, demanding he tell her that. But she needed to know. She needed to hear it. It was in that moment she realized exactly what his leaving would do to her. It would be worse than anything else she had ever had to endure. Worse than any loss she could imagine. And now they just stood there, neither knowing how to proceed with this new thing that hung between them.

He reached up and brushed his fingers lightly under her eye. She had almost forgotten about that. "What did she say?" Carol asked quietly.

He met her eyes briefly before they flitted away. He shrugged.

"I want to know what she said. I know you. I know how you think, Daryl."

"Don't matter what she said." He muttered before his eyes found hers again.

"It matters what she said because if you don't tell me all you're going to do is dwell on it. You'll let it fester in that hard head of yours until you're doubting it all. The progress that you and Buck have made, Merle fighting his demons... us. You'll drive yourself crazy. I'm not letting her do that to you."

"What do you want me to do?" His voice was little harsh. "You want me to lie and tell ya that what she said don't make sense? You wanted to know if I was gonna leave. I told you the truth. I can tell ya that I ain't too sure what you might do now that you know that. That's just what people do. They find your weakness and then they eventually throw it in your face. You want me to tell ya that I know you wont and I ain't gonna tell ya that. Cause I just ain't sure."

"Did you feel that way before she showed up?" She whispered.

He looked down, his face betraying nothing. He didn't trust her anymore. He swore he wouldn't let Jenna talk him into leaving but he couldn't swear that things were going to be the same as they were. It was like the woman had come and tainted everything they were building. He was going to stay and hope that she didn't hurt him when before he had never imagined she would. She realized then that she hated that woman.

She stepped away from the hand that he still had on her hip and turned towards the door. All she could do was act like none of this had happened. Act like the woman had never shown up to begin with. With time she would prove to him that not everybody would let him down. That was the only thing she knew to do.

"Don't." She felt his hand on her wrist as he muttered that one word.

She stopped but she didn't turn around. Didn't want to face that look in his eyes anymore. "Don't what?" She asked quietly.

He blew out a breath. "Don't go."

When she finally turned to face him once more his lips caught hers quickly, his hands coming up to cup her face. There was so much desperation in the way he kissed her now that it broke her heart.

"I'm planning on proving that bitch wrong." She whispered when his mouth moved down to her jaw. "And then you, Daryl Dixon, are going to feel like a complete son of a bitch for ever thinking these things about me." her words came out a little breathless.

"You think so?" He mumbled next to her ear right before his hand worked its way under the back of her shirt.

"Mmm hmm." She nodded and then bit her lip when she felt his tongue trace the outer shell of her ear. She knew what this was. He wanted to forget and he wanted to use her to do it. She didn't blame him for grabbing hold of whatever he could to get the woman's poison out of his head. She would do anything to make him forget.

Without knowing how they had gotten there she realized they were right by the bed. It seemed like this was how they tried to solve everything. When verbal communication wasn't working the way they wanted it too they always went to this.

"How you plan on doin' all that?" He asked, and although his voice was husky it still held a note of curiosity. Almost like he doubted she could do it.

Before she could answer him he was lifting her shirt over her head and then doing the same with his own before he pulled her closer once more, head dipping down and lips dancing along her shoulder. "I'm going to go out of my way to show you that love is something that is suppose to make you feel good. Safe. Not something people hold over your head to get what they want from you. The only thing I want is you. And I don't plan on stopping until you see that."

When his lips stopped moving and his arms tensed around her she realized what she had actually said to him. She hadn't meant to say that. She wasn't thinking very clear. He didn't say a word but he didn't pull away either. That was something at least. She expected him to take off.

Without a word, however, he relaxed slightly once more and continued on with kissing her. She did notice that his lips were moving slower and when they finally made their way back up to meet hers the way he kissed her then had her toes digging into the shaggy rug in front of the bed. His lips never left hers as the rest of their clothes came off.

Once they were actually on the bed she realized that he hadn't actually looked at her since her fumbling declaration of love. She wanted to feel stupid for wording it like she had but the way he was still kissing her had her mind in a jumbled mess. She couldn't quite keep her focus on anything other than the slow way his tongue slid along hers or the way his hands felt much more gentle than they ever had before.

She hadn't even noticed how dim the light behind the curtained window had gotten until she heard thunder rumbling somewhere in the distance. He was braced on his elbows, his upper body flush with hers. She wished he would look at her but every time he moved his mouth away from hers it was only to move his lips to her throat or her ear. He didn't lift his head, not even when she felt him finally push himself inside her.

She thought maybe he wished she hadn't said anything like that to him, that he was maybe just going through the motions. Bothered by her words but not bothered enough to not want to have sex with her. It wasn't until his lips were on hers once more and he started moving that she finally understood what he was doing. Or she hoped. He moved slowly, deliberately. His chest was still pressed flat against hers and she could feel the erratic hammering of his heart drumming out a rhythm against her own. Maybe he couldn't articulate how he felt about her. Maybe he could only show her and this new found tenderness was how he was letting her know that maybe he felt the same way about her. She hoped. That was all she could do was hope.

Slow or not she could feel him driving her closer and closer as she moved with him and when she finally reached that peak, instead of the intense paramount of pleasure she was used too now, it was a pleasure that moved through her whole body. Instead of being left gasping and stunned, she was breathing slow and deep, prolonging this strange new feeling he was coaxing out of her. It lingered so long that she was amazed, but what amazed her even more than that was the fact that it wasn't tapering off. It was building still, deep and agonizing, languid and throbbing through her like a pulse, each beat filling her to the brim with sensations that she never expected to feel.

Her eyes had been closed for a while now. She didn't even remember closing them. When she finally opened them he was looking at her, his eyes like fire as something new, something deep and profound burned there behind his gaze. It was that look that did it. She sucked in a breath as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and that look intensified, holding hers until she felt that familiar tension grip him, despite the fact that he hadn't changed his pace. With his heart still thundering over hers he finally let himself go, kissing her again, gasping into her mouth while she clung to him.

It took a long time for her head to clear. That had been incredible. It was always incredible but that had been something else. Something they hadn't ever done before. She felt as though he put every ounce of emotion he had into what they had just done. And she had felt every bit of it. He didn't have to tell her anything. He didn't have to explain what she meant to him and if he went the rest of their lives without ever telling her that he loved her then it wouldn't matter. This was more than any kind of words they could have shared. It was like he left a part of him inside her that was only hers. Something he couldn't ever give to anyone else. Something she would be willing to die guarding.

He stayed there above her, his head on her chest, for a very long time. She let her good hand run through his hair. She wondered briefly what he could be thinking about but then decided that she really didn't want to know. He was probably worrying once more. Like he hadn't had to spend a lifetime doing that.

"We have to get down there. We need to check on my brother." He whispered as he finally lifted his head. He looked up at her and smiled crookedly, making him look years younger and making her feel like a sicko with a naked thirteen year old on top of her.

She rolled her eyes and looked away.

"What?" he asked as he moved up and braced himself on his elbows so his face was only inches above hers..

"You look like a little kid when you smile like that." She said as she finally met his eyes.

He smiled like that again and she laughed. "Get off me."

He shook his head. "You're a real pervert, Carol."

She was so glad to see him actually smiling that she went ahead and went with it. "You're right." She nodded solemnly. "Every time we do this I pretend you're the paperboy." She sighed.

It worked. He actually laughed. A real one. She knew that it would take a lot of work but he would be alright. Jenna would eventually give up and leave them alone. Until then all she could do was keep reminding him that she cared.

"If I knew that then I wouldn't have had to keep so many secrets from ya." He said right before he kissed her.

She frowned. "What secrets?" she tangled one hand into his hair.

He kissed her chin. "Oh, you know. My baseball card collection. All my G.I. Joe's." He ran his tongue along the base of her throat and didn't stop until his lips were by her ear. "My Etch-A-Sketch and some real sexy Scooby-Doo under-roo's." He whispered and his voice was so seductive that she was laughing even louder than before.

"You're disgusting." She pushed on his chest until he was bracing himself on his arms above her.

He nodded. "I am."

"You really are." She laughed.

Even though he was the one that said they needed to get back to the real world he didn't seem like he was in a very big hurry to go. He rolled off of her but grabbed her and rolled her with him so she was on top of him now. Maybe he wasn't ready to face it yet. That was fine by her. She'd stay in here with him for as long as he wanted her too. The real world was getting rough. It definitely could wait just a little while longer.

~H~

He had been standing so close that he could have reached out and touched her. He was surprised she hadn't seen him but considering she had just gotten into an actual street fight, he didn't much blame her. He hadn't been able to believe it when he came around the corner and saw the group of people surrounding them. He was sure it was just a few random men, brawling on the sidewalk. It happened every so often around here.

His curiosity got the better of him, however, when he saw the Dixons truck whip into the parking spot. They wouldn't have stopped for nothing. He thought maybe he would get to see that older brother get thrown in jail since he had been the only one that hadn't gotten out of the truck with the other two. He had expected to find Merle there, throwing punches with some poor fellow.

When he had seen her there, writhing on the ground with that filthy woman he had nearly lost his control. He wanted to yank her up and slap some sense into her. This was not his Carol. But he didn't have to do any of that of course. The father showed up. The oldest Dixon come to save the day by pulling her right up off the ground. He had been paying attention. He watched as the big man held her there, pressed hard against his massive frame. He saw how the man's grip around her slender waist had tightened and his mouth moved close to her ear.

He would never understand this new Carol. How she could let those men touch her that way mystified and sickened him all at the same time. It was so disappointing.

And then there was the boy. Of course, always. Right there with his eyes on her. Watching her. Just like him. Except Daryl was allowed to touch her in ways he would never want too. Not after the things he knew she let the boy do to her. He still wanted her. But he would never taint himself with something that boy had found so much pleasure in.

Those ridiculous police officers had broken up the crowd, forcing him to scurry off like some insect.

Now he was feeling better. He had started feeling much better after he had hurried away from her and those men. And now he knew that all of his well laid plans were ruined. He had wanted her for longer than those men had even known her and now it was over. He wouldn't be able to have her in the ways he had wanted before. But he would have her still. For a little while at least.

He took a sip of his coffee and leaned back in his seat as he pretended to read the paper. He needed to figure out a way to punish her for this. He was more cautious now, after what Andrea had done. He thought he had the perfect punishment for her. It was unfortunate that Hershel had been injured in such a fall. But it would make it much easier for him to get back at Carol. Tonight he was going to pay the Greene farm a visit. And he was certain that he would have all the time in the world to spend with little Beth Greene. Two birds with one stone. Carol and Merle Dixon would both feel the pain of such a loss.

~H~

Buck stepped out onto the front porch, half expecting her to be standing there waiting for him. He didn't understand what the hell she was doing here. How long had she been creeping around in the shadows? He half expected her to be the one that was running off half cocked and offing women. But she wouldn't want to get that dirty. She didn't do real dirty work.

He sat down heavily in one of the white wicker chairs. It creaked under his weight. He had been happy this morning. For the first time in a long time he felt a weight lift from him when Daryl had suggested they try out the poles he had found while he was rummaging through the workshop. Other than giving him a hard time over Carol the night before it had been the first real civil exchange he thought they had ever had.

Of course the look in Daryl's eyes when he had asked had had Buck cringing a bit. He looked like he was pretty sure he would get turned down. But Buck had accepted eagerly. Happily. And then he had to go and fuck it all up by pressing the boy for details about what had went on that last day. A part of him had needed to know while another part of him shied away from the prospect of learning the hell he had put the kid through. Like it hadn't been hard enough with his mama up and leaving him.

But he _had_ pushed and finally Daryl had relented. He hadn't intended to hurt Buck with his tale. And that almost made it worse. But it had hurt regardless. It had hurt bone deep. He never thought that he had ever felt pain like that in his life. It had never been Daryl. Not really. It had always been Jenna. He would get drunk and use Daryl as a way to hurt her. He never touched her. Only the boy.

And then there she was. Like talking about her today had conjured her out of thin air. And she'd acted as though her oldest son had not even been there. It had always been that way. From the second they brought Merle home, he was nothing but a burden to her. Those first couple years had been hard. She'd wanted as little to do with the boy as possible. How he had stayed with her after that was beyond him. He'd loved her. He guessed that was the only reason he could think of.

He had been a dumb kid when he had met her. She had been younger and stupider than him. She had been living with her grandparents in a trailer park in Dalton. He couldn't even remember what had brought him that far north. But there she had been. Sitting on a park bench, glancing up as he was walking by. He'd stopped in his tracks. He remembered that much. He had balls. Even then. He had sat down right next to her and started rambling. She'd been excited by his tails of life on the road. Of course he had made it seem much more glamorous than it really was.

They had spent every day together after that. For a full month he hung around Dalton, waiting around for her to make her way into town so he could see her. It had taken him that long to talk her into running off with him. Hell, she had probably gotten pregnant with Merle that first night. For a while everything was good. He'd gotten a job. Vowed to do right by her. It was after Merle came along that she had started changing. Or maybe she hadn't changed at all. Maybe she had already been that way and he just hadn't seen it. Maybe she was the one that had played him for a fool.

But all that didn't really matter right now. What mattered was that he had to stop her now. He wouldn't let her rip everything away from his boys. He owed them. He owed them both. If keeping them safe meant putting a bullet in the bitches brain then that's what he would do.

He knew what was going to happen if he didn't. She was going to hurt Carol to get back at them. And that wasn't going to happen. Not as long as he was still breathing. He hated losing them so soon. Maybe they would visit him in prison this time. He shook his head and gazed out at the rain that had come out of nowhere. It was fitting. Along comes the devil and the sunshine fades.

**There is a little bit more insight for you. I know the smut wasn't very... I don't know... Smutty. But that wasn't what they needed at the moment so I have to apologize for that one =) I know there are still a lot of unanswered questions but I promise I will get to them. I just don't want to jumble it all up all at once! Once again, thank you for reading! And forgive any typo's! I'm sleeeeepy! **


	31. Chapter 31

**The last few chapters have been pretty heavy so I wanted to lighten it up again. There is a bit more humor in this than I was originally going for but when you get Merle and Carol together in this story that's what happens. They make me laugh, I hope they make you laugh too. I made sure this chapter was pretty lengthy because I have a lot of stuff to do this weekend I'm not sure if I will be able to update. I'll try! And if I don't have anything to post tomorrow I will definitely post the next chapter Sunday morning! I'm really sorry. I think it will be good for this story too. Let my brain do a little resting. I hope everyone has a safe weekend! Thank you for reading! Goodnight =)**

Chapter Thirty One

Daryl didn't want to leave the bedroom. He didn't want to face the rest of the day and he didn't want to face his brother. He'd seen that look in Merle's eyes earlier and he didn't know if he knew how to deal with it anymore. He wanted to slide backwards, and there was nothing worse than Merle when he was wanting a fix and couldn't have one.

He also wasn't to thrilled about seeing Buck right now. All that shit he had told him down by the river and then out of the blue, there the woman is. Today was a bad day for the Dixon clan for sure. Everything was turned upside down. And he had to force himself not to look at them all with suspicion and he hated himself for that. Especially since Carol was right. She hadn't ever done a thing to cause him to not trust her.

She was asleep now. She had been for at least the last hour. The rain pounded on outside. It had come out of nowhere. It was pretty fitting. She mumbled a lot in her sleep. Sometimes she would get this crease between her eyebrows and she would frown. Other times she would smile. She said his name more often than not. He almost felt like a creeper, just watching her sleep. But there wasn't anyone around to catch him so he decided if he wanted to be a creeper and watch her then he could.

She scared the fuck out of him. She hadn't until today. Before now their relationship had been easy. Natural. Something that just seemed to _be_. But what she had said earlier had jolted him. Caused him to take a good look at what this was, who _they _were, and before he had never done that. One day it was_ him_ verses the world, the next day it was_ them_ verses the world. He depended on her. Her strength and her determination. Her unwavering faith in all of them. He'd never put any thought as to why she did the things she did for him. Did she love him? Jesus, just the thought of the word had him shrinking back from her. But it wasn't a bad thing with her.

He hadn't ever realized how damaged he was until she had mentioned that word. Love, to him, was something heavy. Something that someone else could hold over your head. It was something crushing and powerful that could so easily be used as a weapon. That's what it was to him. When you loved someone then that person could destroy you with it.

Thanks, mama.

The only thing that had kept him standing there when she had said that to him, what had kept him grounded, was the fact that he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he felt the same way. He didn't know how or when he started feeling that way. Maybe it was that night she had came to him. Maybe it was before that. He only knew that he felt it too. And he also knew that he'd never use how he felt about her against her. He's never hold that heavy thing over her head. And maybe she would treat him the same way. He wished he could tell her. Maybe she wanted to hear it. But he couldn't say it. All he could do was show her.

He ran his fingers over the bruise under eye and then he kissed her lightly. He shook her hip and then her eyes fluttered open. Her gaze flitted around the room for a second before resting on him and then she smiled. "I hate naps. They mess my whole day up."

He sighed and finally sat up. "I ain't lookin' forward to dealin' with Buck and Merle. Seein' her..."

She sat up then and grabbed him by the sides of the face. "No." She said firmly, her eyes taking on a hard edge. "New rule. She don't exist here, you got that? This is your house. Not hers. This is your life. Not hers. She put this ridiculous cloud over all three of you and I _will not_ have her here."

He would have laughed at her intensity if her words didn't bring a sense of peace to him. She was dead serious. She meant every word she said. She dropped her hands from his face and sighed as she scooted off the bed. They had gotten dressed hours ago.

She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Are you ready to do this?" She asked with her hands on her hips.

"To do what?" He asked as he made a grab for his shirt.

"Damage control. We probably have two very large, very upset men down there. I need to go clean up a mess."

He sighed and followed her out of the room. He had to give it to her, she had spunk. He just doubted that there was anything she could do to fix them up that quick.

The house was empty. Daryl checked the garage first but they weren't out there. He started to panic as he made his way back through the house. The front door was open. He had half convinced himself that they had taken off to go get high. They had all taken quite an emotional beating. He pushed through the screen door and found them on the front porch. The rain was heavy and made a comforting racket on the porch roof.

Merle was slouched in one of the wicker chairs, not even looking up when he came all the way out onto the porch. He stared out at the rain. Daryl was really starting to loose faith in Carol's ability to bring them out of this.

Buck looked even worse. Eyes vacantly staring past them all, mouth set in a grim line. Daryl watched Carol as she gazed at Buck. Her chin came up and he knew that she would go after Buck first and save Merle for last. She blew out a heavy breath and dropped herself down, right onto the lap of the unsuspecting Buck. He grunted as she swung her legs over the arm of the chair and looked up into his startled face.

"Jesus, girl." He grumbled as he frowned down at her. "The hell ya think you're doin'? Neighbors are gonna see ya and think all sorts of sick shit."

She grinned at him and Daryl was amazed to see a tiny spark of humor light up in Buck's eyes. "Buck, are you planning on raiding the liquor cabinet after we all go to bed tonight? She asked.

He scoffed. "The hell ya talkin' about?"

She shrugged and then cast a glance and a quick wink at Daryl. He leaned against the railing and crossed his arms over his chest. Even Merle was watching them.

"Well, I figure you're a bit stressed out and when people get stressed out they want to drink. I was really stressed out the first night Daryl slept over and you saw what happened. I don't want you to end up like that. Dignity isn't something you can get back quickly once it's lost."

Daryl saw Buck's lips twitch and then his eyes narrowed as he fought off a smile that he didn't even really want to give her. It lasted about three seconds. It wasn't a full fledged smile but the smirk on his face did reach his eyes. "I don't think ya gotta worry bout your dignity, baby girl. It's Daryl there with questionable morals. It can't be helped. Runs in family."

Merle was still watching but he still looked miserable. Daryl couldn't help but hope she didn't move onto his lap next. Buck had a point. These nosy ass neighbors would have a field day with that. They were probably already on their phones calling up the rest of the damn town to inform them that Carol was, indeed, all over all of the Dixons.

"Merle?" She said innocently.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously at her tone. "Don't even think about jumpin' in my lap, darlin'. You wont wanna talk about the first thing that pops up." He said dryly.

Carol made a face. "You are so gross, Merle." She muttered.

"Merle, leave her alone." Buck muttered.

Merle rolled his eyes. "Fine. What, Carol?"

"You should probably call Beth Greene. Maybe ask her how her father is."

Merle grimaced. "Are you stupid? I ain't callin' that damn girl. It's hard tellin' what her sister and that Chinese guy has put in her head. I best cut my losses with that one. 'Sides, Dixon's don't call woman. Women come to us."

"Mmm. I can see that from the line at our door." She said dryly. "She likes you, Merle. And she is sweet. She's good for you."

He shook his head and turned his eyes back towards the rain. "I ain't good for her." He muttered.

Daryl watched her as she shifted in Buck's lap and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. Merle wasn't paying any attention to her until...

"Beth?" She smiled into the phone. "This is Carol, how's your dad?"

Merle turned his head sharply, eyes narrowing to slits as he launched himself from the chair and then glared at her with his hands on his hips.

Carol stood up, phone still pressed to her ear. "Actually I was calling for Merle. He just wanted me to make sure we had the right number for you, can you hold on a sec?"

She shoved the phone towards him, grinning like the Cheshire cat. Merle gave her a look that would have shriveled a weaker person than her. She just raised her eyebrows and thrust the phone in his direction. He snatched it out of her hand and then covered it with one big hand.

"What the hell's _wrong_ with you?" He hissed. "You're a real goddamn asshole, you know that? I'm kickin' your ass for this one, Carol. I don't care if ya hide behind Buck."

With that he put the phone to his ear, looking more uncomfortable than Daryl had ever seen him. He scratched his head and sighed. "Hello?"

He glanced around one more and then hurried into the house.

"That was fuckin' mean." Daryl noted. He couldn't imagine Merle on the phone with a girl. But then again he hadn't been able to picture himself on the phone with a girl either until he'd met Carol. He thought maybe she was right. Beth could be a good thing for Merle. The girl had more fire in her than he had ever expected. Punching that woman like that, just as calm as could be.

Buck stood up then, looking much more alive than he had when they had saw him sitting there before. Carol couldn't erase the days events for them but she sure as hell could make it bearable.

"Baby girl, that really was fuckin' mean." He eyed her and then did what Daryl had done earlier, brushing his fingertips lightly across the bruise. "Good job."

Buck went in after that, leaving Daryl to face a smirking Carol all alone. "How the fuck did you do that? Did ya see them when you first came out here?"

"I did." Her face grew serious as she twined the fingers of her good hand with is. "It was really sad. I can't stand seeing all of you so upset."

He picked up her right hand and winced. The knuckles were swollen and bruised. "We need to get this checked out. It don't look too good."

She shook her head. "Can't afford it."

"Can't afford for your hand to be all fucked up for the rest of your life either." He noted as he pulled her closer, dropping the bruised hand.

"I'll live." She said stubbornly.

"You shouldn't have done that to poor Merle. Don't ya think he's had a hard enough day?" He almost smiled.

She shrugged and then laid the side of her face against his chest. "Merle needs to know that people care about him. I know they don't really know each other but he likes Beth a lot and she likes him. You saw her with her sister today. He needs people like that."

"Ya know it ain't up to you to save the world, right?" He asked as he kissed the top of her head.

"I know it isn't. It's my job to save you. Merle and Buck are just a pleasant bonus." She laughed.

He shook his head. "Maybe I don't need savin'. You ever think of that?" he muttered into her hair.

"Shut up, Daryl. Maybe I just have a hero complex. Let me play out my little fantasies, would ya?" He could hear the smile in her voice.

~H~

Merle hid in his room like a complete pussy as he listened to the girl chat away in his ear. She was actually quite a talker when it was just the two of them talking but she seemed to clam up a little when others joined in.

"Maggie has to work third shift tonight. With daddy gone it's gonna be lonely. Sometimes I hate livin' in a house so big with just the three of us."

Merle sat up and swung his legs around until his boots hit the hard floor. He gripped the phone tightly as he switched ears.

"Wait a minute. What? You're gonna be alone tonight?" He asked as his gut twisted oddly.

She was quiet for a few long seconds. "Yeah. You don't have to sound so worried Merle. I'm grown. I know how to take care of myself." She laughed.

He shook his head even though it wasn't like she could see it. "I betcha can but that don't mean much. There's a goddamn killer out there somewhere, girl. Ya can't just be out there alone like that. All that way from town. Say somebody come in there while your sleepin', Beth."

"You're sweet Merle, really, but I don't have much of a choice." She laughed. "I ain't scared."

She didn't have to be. He was scared enough for the both of them. He thought briefly that maybe he should offer to stay with her but that would just make her think he wanted to fuck her or something. Not to mention that at night he wasn't quite himself. He couldn't stay with her even if she'd asked him too. Which she didn't. She wasn't that kind of girl.

"Hey, hold on a sec, wouldya?" He asked as he launched himself down the stairs quickly. He needed to talk to Carol. He didn't know why this filled him with such panic, really he didn't know the girl well, she wasn't his problem, but he couldn't stand the thought of her being alone out there. There wasn't any neighbors for miles. If something happened no one would hear her screaming. He shook that thought as he came around the corner and nearly plowed into Carol and his brother. He shoved the phone into her hand.

She frowned, "What the hell, Merle?"

"Ask her to spend the night. There's that little spare bedroom down here off the den." He said quickly. "Ask her, goddamn it." He said hurriedly as he motioned towards the phone in her hand.

"Merle, I don't think you're gonna get lucky with that one." Daryl said as he leaned against the door frame.

"That ain't what I want her here for. Goddamn, is everything about sex with you?" Merle knew he sounded outraged.

Carol put the phone to her ear and started chatting away. That's how girls were.

"What the hells goin' on?" Daryl asked, scowling.

Merle glanced at Carol once more. She was finally asking Beth if she wanted to come over. She hadn't asked her if she wanted to spend the night but that was okay. If she came over then they could get to that part.

"Her daddy ain't there and her sister has to work late. She'll be by herself out there." He muttered as he shoved his hands in his pockets. He was starting to feel kind of stupid at how frantic he had been. He didn't even know why. What were the chances of her getting hurt? But that feeling in his stomach only intensified as he started chewing his thumb nail.

"Man, Merle. You got it bad, doncha?" Daryl asked.

Merle shot him a look but he didn't say anything. There was nothing mocking in the way Daryl was looking at him. He just looked concerned. Merle just huffed and leaned into the wall next to him. They both watched Carol as she talked to Beth. Her eyes suddenly lit up.

"Oh, that sounds like a great idea." She grinned. "I'm sure they wont mind at all."

Daryl and Merle shared a look. This sounded like bad news for them.

When she ended the call she looked like she was in a really good mood. This made both Dixons groan. Merle was starting to wish he had just thought of something else. He hated it when Carol got that look. It meant that he was going to have to do something he didn't want to do because she would run off and cry to Buck and he would make them do whatever the hell she wanted.

"Is she comin' over?" He asked hesitantly.

Carol shook her head and looked between them. They must have had the same look on their faces because her eyes narrowed. "Buck!" She yelled.

Merle and Daryl both flinched. "Mother fucker." Merle spat.

"Good job givin' her the phone dumb ass." Daryl groaned again as Buck showed up around the corner.

Her eyes widened and she smiled sweetly. "Buck, since we've all had such a crappy day, I wanna go out."

Buck chewed his cheek and looked at her for a few seconds before shrugging. "Where ya wanna go?"

"You know that bar and grill out on 37? I want to go there. It'll be fun. We hardly ever get to go anywhere, all of us together and Beth wants to meet us there in a few hours."

Buck mulled it over for all of five fucking seconds while Carol doe eyed him. "That sounds like a good idea, baby girl." He said as he threw his arm over her shoulder.

She looked at Merle and Daryl and offered them a smug smile.

"Don't you grin at me like that. You're a spoiled rotten brat, ya know that? And I'm getting your ass back for that phone call." He growled.

"Merle, leave her..."

"Fuck off, Buck. You're a goddamn pushover." He stormed back up the stairs, making sure to stomp on every step. Why couldn't she just invite Beth over here? She was always pulling shit like this and Buck fell for it every damn time. And he knew it wouldn't do any good to argue with them and say he was going to stay home. They watched him all the time. He guessed it wasn't so bad. Beth was going to be there and Carol could talk her into staying. That was one good thing.

It wasn't until he was in his room, rummaging through his closet that he realized something. He hadn't thought about getting high the whole time he had been on the phone with the girl. And he wasn't jonesing for one at the moment either.

He couldn't help but smile to himself as he yanked a clean black shirt off the hanger.

~H~

Carol knew that Merle and Daryl hated it when she used Buck to get her way but she really didn't care. She thought maybe it would do them all good to go out again. Today hadn't worked out too well for her and Merle and she still wasn't sure what had happened on Buck and Daryl's fishing trip but she knew something had. Whatever it was it didn't seem to be too detrimental on their new found relationship so she hadn't asked.

Daryl was sprawled out on the bed behind her, sulking. He had his arms folded behind his head, glaring at her. She smiled at him in the mirror.

"You don't need all that crap on your face. You look good without it." He grumbled as she skillfully applied the makeup.

This was the first bruise she had ever gotten that she was actually proud of. She almost didn't want to cover it up. She had gotten into a _fight._ And even though they acted like she had done a horrible job, she thought she did pretty good. "I can't go out with a black eye. People might think I let you beat on me. I'd rather them all think I'm sleeping with the three of you than letting you all kick my ass. There's more dignity in that."

He barked out a laugh and she met his eyes in the mirror once more. He had changed into black jeans, a sleeveless black shirt and a black leather vest. He looked more like Buck's son now than he ever had before. She had to force herself to focus on finishing getting ready.

Merle and Buck both seemed to be acting more themselves. She was worried that they were going to wallow for a while but she had managed to yank them both out of their moods. Well, her and Beth. She was just as worried as Merle about the girl being left alone way out there on that farm. Anything could happen to her. And since she had been with Beth on more than one occasion it made her even that much more scared for the girl.

She almost stabbed herself in the eyeball with an eyeliner pencil when she felt a pair of rough hands on her thighs. She was wearing her only dress again. When the bills were caught up she was definitely going to go shopping for more clothes.

"Ya know what the best thing about dresses is?" He asked as he pressed his lips to the back of her neck. She never knew how sensitive that spot was.

She didn't answer him. She just stayed very still. His hands slid up, bunching the material all the way up to her waist. She leaned into him more, surprised that he was wanting more. Her hair was once again put up so he had as much access as he needed to the back of her neck. He left a warm wet trail from her backbone to just below her hairline.

A loud knock on the door and then the door bursting open had him yanking the dress back down and stepping away.

"The fucks takin' you two so long?" Merle asked, keeping his hand on the doorknob as he looked at them suspiciously. "Y'all ain't seriously thinkin' about fu..."

"Get out Merle." Carol said calmly as she pretended like the only thing she had been doing was getting ready.

"No." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Carol turned her head and glared at him. "Get out."

He shook his head. She looked at Daryl who was lounging on the bed once more but he was just smirking. So this was how they were going to be? They were mad because they didn't want to go out so they were going to act like jerks and gang up on her.

"I told ya that I was gonna get some payback for pullin' that stunt." He grumbled.

She snorted. "What are you going to do, Merle? Annoy me to death? Believe me, if it hasn't worked by now I don't think it's going to."

She reached up to pin up a stray hair, completely ignoring him when suddenly she screamed as something ice cold was poured down her back. She spun around. "Merle, you son of a bitch!" She shoved him but it did little good and Daryl, instead of defending her honor, was rolling on the bed laughing. So she did the only thing she could do. "Buck!" She screamed.

Not ten seconds later they heard him stomping up the stairs. "Goddamn it, Merle." He he yelled up the stairs.

She was still outraged but she couldn't help but smirk. Now he was going to have to listen to Buck bitch him out for the next half hour. But to her surprise he smirked right back and flung more cold water onto the front of her dress. She gasped.

"Get your ass out of her room. Now!" Buck roared. Merle, still smiling went to walk around Buck. Buck smacked him in the back of the head.

Merle left the room, throwing her one last grin as she stood there gasping. Daryl was laughing even harder now. Buck glared at him. "You shouldn't let him fuck with her like that. You know better."

"What the fuck, Buck. She's always pullin' stunts like that on us. Usin' you to get her way when she knows that we don't wanna do somethin'. He just got her back for it." Daryl chuckled and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand as he made himself comfortable once more, hands folded behind his head.

"Ya want me to kick his ass out too?" Buck asked as he studied her drenched dress and her angry face.

"No." She muttered, flashing a glare to the asshole on the bed. She was really going to have to get them back for all of this. Now she had to wear jeans and a t-shirt like she always did.

Buck shook his head and pulled the door closed behind him.

Carol put her hands on her hips and glared. "You knew he was going to do that." She hissed.

"I did not. But you deserved it." He said with a shrug.

"You know, I always wanted an older brother. Someone to look out for me and someone to talk to. Girls that actually had them always looked at me like I was stupid. Now I know why. And you're a real ass for not at least warning me."

He shook his head. "You earned it."

"I have nothing to wear." She growled.

"Then we can stay home." He countered.

"So the three of you can sulk. She crossed her arms over her frozen chest.

He shrugged again and eyed her. She huffed and started undoing the buttons on the front of the dress, one by one. Not taking her eyes off him.

"What are you doin'?" He narrowed his eyes.

"You think I'm gonna keep this thing on? I'm soaked."

He unlocked his arms and sat up, moving towards the edge of the bed.

"Don't even think about it." She mumbled as the dress hit the floor. He was watching her closely.

"I'm sorry. I'll kick his ass next time." He pleaded, eyes roaming over her.

She made it a point now to make sure everything matched now days. And for some reason she got a bigger reaction from him when she wore anything black. Probably because that's what she happened to be wearing that night they had been drunk and had messed around. So in nothing but black lace she stormed over to the closet and yanked out a faded pair of jeans and a tank top.

She heard him huff behind her but he stayed where he was. He knew she was mad. But she did have to admit that they were right. She did use Buck to get her way. But they rarely ever listened to her otherwise.

When she was finally dressed they made their way down the stairs. As soon as they made it to the bottom step someone knocked on the door.

Daryl instantly looked panicked. She felt her own pulse quicken. Was Jenna here? Would she really have the nerve? She cut off that thought. Of course she would. Carol didn't look at him. She stormed over to the door and yanked it open, mentally preparing herself to have a verbal showdown with the Devil herself.

Instead she was greeted by a smiling Andrea. She had forgotten their conversation at the cafe. Andrea had told her that she was going to be stopping by.

"How are you, Miss Balboa?" She grinned.

Carol laughed, sounding a little nervous. She had been sure that it was going to be Jenna.

"You look great." Andrea said as she took in Carol's made up face.

"Yeah, I had a bit of a black eye to cover." She rolled her eyes. Carol heard someone else on the steps behind her. She peeked past Andrea and couldn't contain her grin. "Milton!" She actually met him half way across the porch and hugged him.

He was very tense at first but he loosened up after a few seconds and hugged her back awkwardly. "I was talking with Andrea at the cafe and she mentioned coming to see you. I thought I would tag along. If that's okay, of course."

Carol pulled away, grinning. She hadn't realized how much she had missed Milton until she saw him. It had been a strange week. "Actually we were going to meet Beth at the Bar and Grill. Why don't the two of you come with us."

Andrea looked past her and the smile froze on her face as her eyes narrowed. Buck must have came to see who was at the door. "That sounds too interesting to miss.

Carol watched Milton's face carefully. He swallowed hard and then nodded to the men in the doorway. "It's nice to see you all again." He said.

They all nodded back politely enough.

All three Dixons grumbled over the fact that it was too rainy to take their bikes but not for long. They were all still very googly eyed over the car so their bad moods didn't last long at all. Daryl kept giving her dirty looks but when she moved over until she was snuggled into his side he put his arm around her and the dirty looks stopped. They followed Milton and Andrea.

"Buck, are you really not interested in Andrea?" Carol asked after a few minutes of silence.

Merle spoke up before Buck could answer her. "Buck, that's gotta be some top of the line ass. Under all that bitchiness is a woman dyin' for you to pound it."

"Jesus, Merle. That's disgusting." Carol grimaced.

"You know how many people prolly think the same thing about that little blonde that's been givin' ya them puppy dog eyes, boy." Buck said as he stared straight ahead.

Carol could tell Merle was mad now. Even the tips of his ears were glowing.

"Buck, you sick old fucker! Don't talk about her like that." Merle growled.

Buck glanced up and looked at Daryl in the rearview mirror. "You was right, son. Your big brother has it pretty bad for that one."

"Fuck both of you assholes." Merle grumbled as he shifted in his seat.

When they got there the place was packed like they all knew it would be. There were only so many places to go in a town as small as this one and this was one of the places people liked to frequent. It was a friendlier atmosphere than Donavans. It was much cleaner too. Carol felt bad for thinking that because Dale really did try pretty hard. It just seemed like he wasn't able to get a good grip on his own establishment.

She kept her fingers twined with Daryl's as they made their way through the tables of people. Beth said she would try to find one of the tables by the windows towards the left side of the building so that was where there group was heading. There were still people that stared at them. Especially her and Daryl, but she just shrugged them off. She didn't care. She knew they were all pretty worried about running into Jenna but she had been a prisoner in that house long enough. She wasn't going to be one anymore. And she wasn't going to let them do that to themselves because of that woman. It wasn't fair. As far as she was concerned the Dixons had paid for their mistakes. Buck had served his time, Merle was fighting through a slow agonizing detox. That was the price they paid. She would not let them suffer because of that woman.

She finally spotted Beth, who saw them all and waved with a grin.

"Carol Mason?"

She turned her head sharply to the left when she heard a familiar voice. She gasped in surprise and then broke out in a huge grin. "Tyreese?" She used to be amazed at the size of him but after spending so much time with Buck he didn't seem to be as big as he had before. "What in the world are you doing _here_?" She let go of Daryl's hand and hugged him.

"My cousin lives in the next town over. He finally talked me into leaving the big city about a year and half ago. We have dinner here sometimes." He looked shocked to see her. She knew the feeling. "When did you leave Atlanta?"

"My grandmother got sick a few years back. I moved in with her to help out. When she passed she left everything to me, since I was the only family she had still living."

"What are the odds?" He shook his head, grinning from ear to ear.

Her and Tyreese had been close friends all throughout high school. The last she had hear he had gotten a football scholarship and he had high tailed it out of Atlanta the first chance he got. Seeing him here of all places was surreal.

"Are you gonna stand here all fuckin' night? And if you are can you at least move your asses over so I can get by?"

Carol groaned. Merle. She looked behind her and rolled her eyes at him.

"Well, I'll be at the bar if you want to join me later so we can catch up. I can't even believe you're here." He grinned at her once more and then shook his head.

"I'll do that. Just give me five minutes." She said as she glanced back at a scowling Merle.

Tyreese nodded and moved towards the bar.

"Who the hell was that?" Daryl asked, scowling just as much as his brother.

"An old friend from school, Daryl. Nobody you need to be scowling at. You would like him."

"He's too fuckin' smily." He grumbled as he pulled out the chair next to the one she took.

She couldn't help but laugh. Daryl Dixon was jealous. It was ridiculous and cute all at the same time. She hoped he knew that he didn't have anything to worry about.

"I'm glad y'all are here. It was hard to hold onto a table this big. I didn't know this place was gonna be so packed." She said as she glanced around.

Merle was already glancing at the menu. "I say we eat and then get the fuck outta here. It'd be a whole lot easier to talk to people if we was at _home_." He grumbled as he looked right at Carol.

Beth put a hand on his arm and Carol couldn't help but noticed how the small touch caused him to jerk his head around to look down at her. "I'm sorry Merle. I thought it would be fun. We can leave if ya want."

He shook his head quickly. "Nah, I hear this place has good food anyhow. Been meanin' to get out here to try it out." He mumbled.

Beth smiled and then let her hand drop from his arm.

"He's so full of shit." Daryl whispered in her ear. "He ain't never wanted to come here."

Carol giggled. "I figured that much."

~H~

Merle felt like an idiot sitting there with all those people. Daryl had left with Carol to go talk to that big black guy and Buck went to the bathroom and now it was just him and Beth and then Andrea and that Milton guy left at the table. It wasn't so bad with a group but now it looked like a goddamned double date or something.

He was about fed up with all the sideways glances all these people were giving him. He didn't see many people he recognized and no one that he really knew. That was a good thing. Carol was a pain in the ass sometimes, dragging them out to this place. Milton and Andrea were talking amongst themselves so he figured it was high time he talked to the Beth. He already knew what he was going to order, since Buck said it was his treat. He was gonna tell them to bring him and Beth both the most expensive thing on the menu. See how he liked that.

"So you're hell bent on stayin' out there on your own tonight, huh?" He asked. He was going to have Carol ask her to spend the night but Carol was off with his brother being all social and shit. At least Daryl had had the balls to let her know that the only reason he was going with her was so she wouldn't throw a fit to Buck.

"I am. I ain't got a whole lot of choices Merle." She took a sip of water and then frowned. "You're makin' me paranoid."

"You could stay with us. It'd be a lot fuckin' safer than ya stayin' all alone out there in the middle of no where. Anything could happen to ya way out there and nobody would even know it till they found ya."

"Okay." She shrugged and took another drink.

He turned his head sharply. "What?" If he'd have known how easy this was going to be then he would have just tried to convince her while he was talking to her on the phone. He could have avoided this whole mess.

"I've seen Carol's house. It's plenty big enough." She glanced around nervously. "And when I left my house to drive over here..." Her voice trailed off and she frowned.

"What?" He was gripping the glass in his hadn so hard that he had to force himself to loosen his grip before he smashed it. Her voice went low and she leaned her face in close to his.

"I thought I saw somethin' when I got in my car." She said in a low voice.

Merle frowned. "What'd you think you seen?" He asked keeping his voice as low as she had.

"I guess it coulda been nothing. It was rainin' pretty hard. But I thought I saw somebody standin' near the barn. Like a man."

Jesus Christ!

"And then when I pulled outta the driveway there wasn't no cars coming from either direction. You know how you can see for nearly miles on that stretch of road. But it seemed like as soon as I hit the road this big black truck came outta nowhere and stayed right on my tail until I pulled in here."

Now he understood why the girl had been glancing around so much. Hell, if she had stayed on that farm for much longer she coulda ended up just like them other women.

Buck had just sat down across from them, in the other chair next to Andrea's. As soon as he looked up at Merle he knew there was something wrong but Merle didn't have time to tell him what was going on. He stood up, told Buck to order for him and then he pulled Beth up by the hand, not dropping it as he made his way around tables and people, keeping his eye out the whole time for anyone that might look suspicious. He finally found Carol and his brother at the bar.

"Carol, you still got Shane's number?" He asked in a hushed tone.

She frowned and glanced at Daryl. "It's in my phone. What's going on, Merle?" She asked worriedly.

"He was at her goddamn house." He hissed.

"Who was at her house?" Daryl asked as he glanced from Beth back to Merle.

"She thought she saw somebody by the barn and then when she pulled out there was a big black truck on her ass. Sound familiar to ya?" He snapped as he snatched the phone Carol offered him and turned to find somewhere quiet enough so he could do something he never in a million years thought he would do. He was going to call the cops.

"You really think that's who it was. You think he was at my house?" She asked as her face grew pale.

"I don't_ think_ shit, darlin'. I _know_." He grumbled as he pushed on the exit door and slipped out of the crowded building. The only sound out here was the rain pounding on the awning. He noticed her wide eyes scanning around the parking lot. "You're gonna be fine."

He searched through the contacts until he found Shane's number. The man answered on the second ring.

"Hey there, bruiser. What can I do for ya?" Shane's teasing voice came alive in his ear.

"Hey, this is Merle. We gotta problem."

"Is Carol alright? What's happened?" All the joking left his voice.

"She's fine. And quit soundin' so concerned. You know she's fuckin' my brother. Anyway, the killer was at the Greene farm this evenin'. Y'all might wanna head that way and collect your evidence or whatever it is y'all do."

Shane was silent for a few seconds. "How do you know this?" He finally asked.

"Cause Beth seen the mother fucker and he followed her here to the Grill. He was standin' out in the rain by her barn like he was Micheal fuckin' Myers."

"Is Beth with you?" Shane asked.

"Yeah. She's right here." Merle muttered. He glanced down at Beth. She looked scared out of her mind.

"Put her on the phone." He demanded.

Merle was going to argue but Shane needed all the information he could get. She might be able to tell him something that she hadn't thought to tell Merle. Maybe he would know what to ask. He scanned the lot just like she had done and then he handed her the phone.

He barely paid attention to what she was saying to Shane. He was too busy watching the parking lot. If the person followed her here then maybe he was waiting so he could follow her to wherever she was going when she left here.

He jumped when he felt something hard press against his hand. He jerked his eyes from the lot and looked down at her.

"What'd he say?" He asked gruffly as he shoved Carol's phone in his pocket.

She met his eyes. "He told me to not leave your sight."

Merle nodded. "Least he ain't as dumb as he looks."

She gave him a half smile that didn't meet her eyes. "That man was gonna try to kill me, wasn't he?" She asked in a whisper.

"Ain't nobody gonna get a chance to lay a goddamn hand on you, you understand that?" He said a little too loudly.

She nodded quickly. "I gotta call my sister. She needs to know to go to Glen's when she leaves work. I don't want her out there alone."

Merle nodded as he led her back inside. He wanted to hurry up and get the fuck out of this place. It was too crowded. Too many people here that could be the very person that was at that farm earlier. He was relieved when he got to the table. It seemed as though everyone else had been informed of what had happened and they were all ready to skip the meal and get out as much as he did.

"I'll follow you guys there." Beth said when they got to the parking lot.

Merle followed her. There wasn't any way in hell he was going to let her drive all the way there by herself.


	32. Chapter 32

**Hey guys! Sorry about the wait. I hope that extra long chapter made up for it =) This one isn't nearly as long but I hope you like it anyway. This creepy creeper is creepy. I usually set right in front of the kitchen window when I write and I couldn't stop glancing out to make sure no one was looking at me. Lucky me, I have a very large very scary dog that I could sic on someone. I hope this creeps you out too. That was my intent. Thank you all for reading and reviewing! There will be a banner up for this story soon with a young Carol, Daryl, Merle and Buck! Thanks to HGRHfan35! She is a brilliant woman! Be looking for it =) Have a great morning!**

Chapter Thirty Two

_He ran his hands over the framed photo. Carol, fresh faced and smiling with her diploma clutched in her hands. He carefully sat it back on her dresser. He pulled open the top drawer and frowned. _

_This would not do at all. He gazed down at the jumbles of lace and silk. This was disturbing to him. His head was filled with visions of her wearing things like this. He had pictured her having much different taste than this. But this didn't surprise him. Not like it would have before. She wasn't who he had thought she was. _

_He couldn't believe things had been thwarted for him once more. He was planning on waiting for Beth to go to sleep. Wait for the lights in the house to go out and then go inside. But he was thinking that maybe he shouldn't. Beth was sweet. She was innocent and shy. She was all of the things that he had thought Carol had been. Beth would be perfect. But once again there were Dixons in his path. Merle would taint that girl even worse than Daryl had tainted Carol. Merle was scum. Pure and simple. _

_But Beth had left. And he had gotten angry. How dare she? First Lori and Andrea and now Beth. He had thought about running her off the road. But that wouldn't do. He had to know where she was going. So he had followed her. When he had turned around and made his way back he drove by just in time to see the Dixons show up. He knew then that she was meeting them there. They would sit and have drinks, eat their dinner. He had plenty of time. He would go back to the farm later. Beth couldn't stay out all night. But he couldn't lose the opportunity to get inside Carol's house. Now that he knew he had time. He still cared for her. Still wanted to know her better. Despite the fact that he was disgusted with her actions._

_Daryl's things were scattered about, blending in with her own things. He opened the closet and sure enough there were his clothes on one side, hers on the other. Of course._

_He slammed the closet door and was about to storm out of the offensive room when he thought he heard something over the rain. He listened carefully, his heart began hammering in his chest. This wasn't right. No one should be home yet. He had been sure he had plenty of time. He didn't even have a weapon and there was no way he could win against all of those men. _

"Why didn't you lock the goddamn door?" Merle barked from downstairs.

_He felt like a trapped animal. _

"I did." Carol snapped right back. "Or I thought I did. Jesus, I'm soaked... _again_."

_How could this be happening? He glanced around the room. There was really no way out. There was a door at the end of the hall leading out to a small balcony but he couldn't jump from the roof. He could break his neck. He was getting angry. How could he have been so stupid? He shouldn't have come here. He dismissed that thought quickly. They were the ones that came home before they were suppose too. This was their fault. Everything was their fault. Everything was fine until they came around. _

_He heard someone coming up the stairs. By the sound of it there was more than just one person. _

_His eyes darted around the room and landed on the closet door. But that would do no good. If they were coming up for dry clothes they would find him there. _

_They were in the hallway now. He could hear Carol's quiet laughter. _

_He felt disgusting as he shimmied under the bed like a rodent. He couldn't believe this. This was the most humiliating thing that he had ever done. If he craned his neck he could see the door and most of the room. _

_Sure enough the door opened quickly and they stepped inside, shutting the door firmly behind them._

"Merle's all tore up, ain't he? Jesus. Bitin' everybody's damn head off." Daryl mumbled as he pulled off his wet shirt. It landed with a splat next to the bed.

"It's been a crazy bad day, Daryl. Especially for Merle." Carol said calmly as she went to the closet. He could hear the sound of the hangers clinking together. "I have to find something for Beth to wear." She mumbled.

_Beth? He ground his teeth together and watched as Daryl pulled off his wet boots. _

"I can't believe that sick fuck was out there today. It's a damn good thing Merle thought to get her to stay here. Could you imagine what that woulda done to him?" Daryl muttered.

_Carol approached him and although he couldn't see their faces he did see her arms go up to lock around his neck. Daryl's hands went to her hips and then slid around further until he had them rested right on her ass. The man under the bed looked away quickly but was too morbidly engrossed to keep his eyes away from the couple for long. _

"Well, we don't have to worry about her for tonight anyway." Carol said quietly.

_He watched as Daryl moved his hands away from Carols ass and began easing the hem of her shirt up. He tried to control his breathing at the sight of her pale skin. Her shirt made it's own, softer, splat onto the floor and then Daryl's arms enveloped her, pulling her close and then his fingers started undoing her bra._

"Daryl, you really think this is the best time to do this? With everyone waiting downstairs and Beth a dripping mess?" Carol asked but she didn't sound like she was fighting very hard as Daryl slipped the straps down her arms.

"I'm stressed out. This helps with the stress." He mumbled into her throat as his head dipped down, and to the mans absolute horror, kissed her exposed breast.

_He wanted out of this room. He wanted to get as far away from the boy as he could. He didn't want to watch as his tongue roamed over her body but he couldn't look away. He couldn't force his eyes to move anywhere but on the two bodies in the middle of the room as Daryl's hands undid the button's of her jeans one by one and then tugged them down over her smooth hips and thighs. He had to cover his mouth with his hand since he was nearly gasping as he took in her firm body. He was disturbed at himself. Almost sickened at himself for not being able to stop himself from watching them. He could feel his pants growing tight_ _and then humiliated tears sprang to his eyes. Why was this happening to him? Why couldn't he look away?_

_And there she stood, wearing nothing but wisps of black lace covering up the most secret parts of her. They were going to pay for this. They would pay for making him feel all of this confusion. They would pay for touching each other this way. This isn't how she was suppose to be. She was suppose to be pure. Pure like Beth Greene. But now little Beth Greene was probably sucking that Junkies dick in the next room as Daryl tainted the one woman he thought was his perfect match. These men turned everything they touched to filth. They were taking everything away from him. And he was hiding under a bed watching it happen before his eyes._

"Daryl, Beth needs some dry clothes. She's soaked." Carol nearly moaned as his mouth went to her breast once more.

He slipped one hand down the front of her panties and growled against her skin. "So are you."

"I'm serious. We can't do this. Not right now. Not after everything that's happened tonight." She breathed.

He let out a heavy breath and moved hand away, kissing her lightly as he pushed her gently towards the closet door. "You're right. I quit. Get dressed."

_He was so relieved that he wasn't going to be forced to watch them anymore. He could just stay here and wait. Wait for them to all go to sleep and then he could end every bit of this tonight. He would have to make his way through the house until he could find a weapon to use and then he would have to figure out a way to do them in quietly. If one of them woke up then it would all be over. All of his hard work would be for nothing. He had to decide what to do. _

~H~

Daryl sat down on the edge of the bed and watched her pull on an old tank top and some flannel pajama bottoms. For some reason that was way hotter to him than if she had worn something skimpy and see through. That wouldn't have been her, and she was perfect the way she was. He shook his head and almost scoffed at how stupid that sounded. Even if it was true.

"You think they'll have any luck finding the creep?" She asked as she grabbed the clothes for Beth and headed towards the door.

"He's so psycho." Daryl shrugged. "Psychos get their asses caught." He pulled a shirt over his head and followed her out the door, turning off the light as he went. He nearly slammed into her when she stopped suddenly in the middle of the hall and turned around to face him.

"I'm about to break my own rule, okay. But I just thought of something." She looked thoughtful and worried at the same time. "Do you think it's weird that all this stuff starts happening and then your... Jenna shows up?"

He had to keep himself from visibly flinching. She had done a good job of keeping their minds off of the woman and then all this other stuff happened with Beth. He hadn't really thought about Jenna much. But Carol did have a point. It was really strange. He just couldn't see her doing something like that though. It wasn't her style. She fucked with people's heads. She wasn't a killer. Not like that. He finally shook his head. "I don't think she has anything to do with it. I don't think she's been here for very long. Just long enough to scope some shit out and then make her grand appearance."

Carol nodded but her eyes still looked worried. He brushed his thumb under her eye.

"Hey, y'all plan on bringin' this girl some dry clothes or what?" Merle yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

Daryl rolled his eyes and once more followed her down the stairs. Beth was shivering which almost made him feel bad. Carol handed her the clothes and then told her where the bathroom was. Merle watched as she disappeared down the hall.

"She got a hold of her sister." Merle said as he finally looked back up at them. "This shit just don't fuckin' feel right."

Daryl frowned. "Course it don't. There's a goddamn killer on the loose. It ain't suppose to feel right."

Merle shook his head, his eyes taking on a far away look. "It ain't that, little brother. It's somethin' else."

Daryl shook his head again, refusing to let Merle's ominous mood spook him. Merle was having a hard time with everything that had been going on. That's why he felt that way. It was hitting close to the time the drugs were going to start wearing off and he'd taken quite a few emotional blows. That was the reason behind his paranoia.

"That's so much better." Beth breezed back into the room, wearing the same types of clothes that Carol was wearing, only in a different color, rubbing a towel through her damp blond hair. Daryl watched as Merle swallowed hard.

"Ya hungry?" Merle asked her after the four of them stood there in awkward silence for a few long seconds.

She nodded and tried to give him a smile but it didn't reach her eyes. "Ya gonna cook somethin' up, Merle?"

"Huh?" He looked completely confused.

"I'll find something real quick." Carol said as she grabbed Daryl hand and led him towards the kitchen.

A huge crash of thunder had Carol gripping his hand tighter. He smirked. "Fraid of a little noise?"

She made a face. "Not really."

They stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and shared a look. Andrea and Buck were sitting at the table, heads close together, talking in low voices. Buck had Andrea's gun in his hands. Whatever he was saying had Andrea's full attention. Daryl felt his eyes widen a little when she laughed at something Buck said and swatted at his arm. He chuckled and handed the gun back to her. They both looked up then and moved away from each other. Andrea even managed to look embarrassed.

"Where'd Milton go?" Daryl asked as he sat down across from them.

Buck eyed him with a narrow gaze. "He probably got tired of waitin' on Carol to come back down. Said he had some stuff to do and he'd see us around."

Daryl nodded distractedly, Merle's words still ringing loudly in his ears. The rain started pounding even harder. Merle and Beth came in then. Merle still looked worried but Beth looked like she would be alright. She went straight over to where Carol was working on throwing something together to eat and started helping. He was glad they got along good because he had a feeling that Beth Greene was going to be around a lot now.

Merle sat down next to Daryl and swiped a hand across his face.

Andrea frowned as she leaned her elbows onto the table top. "Merle, are you okay? You don't look too well."

Daryl and Merle glanced towards the windows behind Andrea and Buck. It had been dark out for some time. Daryl wasn't sure what time it was but it was obviously _that_ time again. He looked back over his shoulder and met Carol's eyes over the island. She nodded and looked down at the food she was preparing.

"Ain't nothin'. Maybe I'm getting the flu or somethin'." Merle grumbled.

Andrea's frown deepened and she looked as though she was going to reach to touch his forehead but the look he gave her had her pulling her hand away.

Suddenly Carol was there, setting a large plate full of stuff for cold cuts down in the center of the table. Her hand instantly went to cup the side of Merle's face. "You want to go on upstairs, I'll bring you something here in a little while. You really don't look to great."

Daryl watched as Merle seemed to lean into her touch, his eyes rolling up to look at her. He nodded and then looked towards Beth, who didn't seem to be paying attention at the moment. Finally his eyes met Daryl's. Daryl knew the message behind that look and he nodded. Merle wanted to make sure Daryl looked after Beth. He felt bad for his brother. Merle wanted to keep an eye on the girl and keep her safe but he physically couldn't do it.

Carol pulled her hand back and Merle stood up, wiping sweat from his brow. "I'll see ya all in the mornin'. I gotta turn in." He mumbled.

Beth looked up at him then, her eyes not hiding her disappointment. "I hate that ya don't feel good, Merle. Goodnight."

He looked pained but he nodded. Daryl didn't know what his deal was with Beth but he could tell that Merle was pretty much knocked stupid over her. "Night, Beth." He said as he walked away.

Buck met Daryl's eyes from across the table. The guilt behind the man's blue gaze had Daryl looking away. Him and Buck weren't done talking. Not by a long shot. There was a lot more that still needed to be said. The man had been the target for every ounce of hate that Daryl had ever felt but things were shifting quickly. But he would be a liar if he said that the things Jenna had said to him earlier didn't stick in his mind like a burr, poisoning his thoughts.

The meal was actually pretty pleasant. Things didn't really start getting tense until the wind picked up and pummeled the windows and siding with the heavy rain. All the women at the table jumped at the sound, causing Buck and Daryl to chuckle. Buck winked at him from across the table.

"What the hell is so funny? We should be watching the news right now. There could be a tornado or something. That wind sounds horrible." Andrea was glaring at Buck.

Buck shrugged. "We gotta basement."

She rolled her eyes. "That's really good to hear, Buck. I live in a second story townhouse. Your basement will do me no good."

Buck gave her one of those dry looks. "Townhouse, huh? Well ain't you just a fancy one."

Her eyes narrowed. "Sometimes I can't stand you. Do you know that?"

He swallowed his food and nodded. "I know. You make it obvious, sugar." He winked at her causing her face to flush.

"You should stay here too." Carol offered.

Andrea shook her head. "I can't do that. You already have one guest staying."

Buck looked at her like she was stupid. "Not that I enjoy your company much at all but you've seen the size of this house. There's plenty of room. I got a nice big bed upstairs." He smirked.

"I'd rather sleep in a hole." She grumbled.

Buck shrugged. "Your loss."

Beth and Carol both had to stifle a laugh behind their hands. Even Daryl found himself grinning. He thought maybe the only person in the room that didn't know that Andrea wanted Buck was Andrea herself. She was definitely a woman in denial as far as he could see. Even as she glared at him he noticed her eyes roaming from his face down to his neck and then down his arms.

"Really Andrea, it would keep any of us from having to drive out in it. Wasn't Milton your ride?" Carol asked. "We have plenty of room."

Andrea blinked and then shook her head. "Damn it. I completely forgot that I didn't drive my own car."

"That's cause you were too busy damn near crawlin' into my lap while I was checkin' that gun of yours out. I'm a distraction to ya, darlin'."

She growled and then wordlessly started eating again.

"Realy Andrea, it's much safer here than in some second story apartment. You should stay." Beth urged.

Another gust of wind followed by a clap of thunder had the women jumping once more.

"Okay. If you think there'll be enough room." Andrea said as she glanced back at the window.

Buck grinned. "I told ya already..."

"Shut up, Buck." Andrea said as she stood up with her plate.

Daryl wordlessly finished his own food as fraidy cat Carol pressed into his side and kept her eyes on the windows.

"I'm gonna go ahead and check in on Merle." She said as she took everyones dishes to the sink where Andrea was already waiting to help. "Maybe the four of you can put in a movie or something. I'll come down soon."

She reached down and kissed him lightly on the lips before offering him a tired smile. His eyes followed her out of the kitchen. Feeling a bit of Merle's paranoia about things not feeling quite right rear its ugly head.


	33. Chapter 33

**I'm flattered that I was able to have so many of you checking under your beds XD Things get a little harry in this chapter and I want you all to keep in mind that everything I have done up until this point, I have done for a reason. With that said, I hope you like this chapter, but something tells me that you will not. I'll update again ASAP! Thank you all for reading! I can never say that enough. I hope you have a great morning!**

Chapter Thirty Three

Buck thought about going upstairs to check on Merle but he hated to do that. He hated looking at him like that. He was taking the cowards way out. He knew that. That should be a part of his penance. He should have to stand there and watch through ever agonizing hour that Merle suffered through. But he didn't. He sat there at the kitchen table and shuffled cards while Andrea watched him. Daryl had showed Beth the guest room and she was settled in for the night. She was suppose to meet her sister at Glen's for breakfast and wanted to turn in early herself. Daryl went upstairs shortly after that.

"Is something wrong?" Andrea asked after he had spent much too much time on the shuffling.

He shook his head. "Nothin' at all." He tried to force some good cheer into that small sentence but by the crease in her brow it hadn't worked. He was actually kind of surprised that she would even act concerned. He was pretty confident that he could fuck her if that was what he wanted, but he also knew that beyond the physical, she didn't like him. Or he thought she didn't like him anyway. Didn't much matter to him.

"If you're tired you can go to bed. You don't have to stay up with me. I'm a night owl by nature." She offered him a weak smile.

He met her eyes and then dealt the cards. "Me too. But when you get tired my bedroom is the one right next to the bathroom."

She held his gaze for a few long seconds before responding. "You really think it would be that easy to get me in your bed?" Her eyebrows came up.

He nodded. "Pretty much. But that ain't what I'm talkin' about. I'm gonna take the couch. Merle has his head in knots over that girl in there so the least I can do is sleep down here and keep an eye on her. If that creepy bastard really is after her then who's to say he wouldn't figure out she's here and try to come after her?"

Andrea studied him with a confused expression. "Were you always like this?"

His eyes narrowed. He wasn't about to get into some deep meaningful conversation about his past with this girl. His business was just that. His business. Hell, all she had to do was ask her uncle about him. He knew just about everything that went on with the Dixon's. Or he did at one time. He was a sweet old man now But Dale hadn't always been that way. He'd been right there with Buck through a lot of it. But that had been a long time ago. "Like what?"

She leaned back in her chair and looked down at the cards in her hand. "Well, I've heard things about you. You probably know that. Everyone has. I've heard about how you were with Daryl. I heard that you were a dangerous man. I heard you were a drug addict. You want me to keep going?"

"You heard right. Ain't too much good nobody can say about Ol' Buck, darlin'. It's all the truth."

She glanced at her cards once more. "I don't see any of it. I've seen drug addicts. You aren't one. I've seen how you are with your boys. You probably still wouldn't win any father of the year awards or anything but I see that you love them."

"For somebody that claims to not be able to stand a man, you sure are spendin' a lot of time tryin' to figure him out." He growled.

"I'm trying to figure you_ all_ out." She corrected.

He glared at her from across the table. "Why? You think men like us need to be put under a microscope? Like we're some sort of rare breed or somethin'?"

He was surprised when she met his eyes unflinchingly. "Yes." she deadpanned.

He blinked. He had expected a smart ass retort. He wasn't expecting her to actually be honest.

"What's wrong with Merle?" She asked suddenly, catching him of guard once more.

He looked down at the cards in his hands. He had forgotten what they were even suppose to be playing. "Guess he's comin' down with somethin'." He grumbled.

"Bullshit. I saw all those loaded looks you were all giving one another. Something's going on with him. Is he sick?"

He studied her, feeling like he wanted to be angry at her persistence but unable to muster up any outrage. Maybe this whole 'changed man' bullshit wasn't as good as he had thought it was. If this had been five years ago he would have had her cowering into the back of that chair. "He's sick. But he's on the mend." He said dully.

She shook her head. "He was shaking, Buck. Sweating. He was pale as a ghost."

"Like I said. He's sick but he's on the mend. Now what you need to do is mind your own fuckin' business. I can take care of my family just fine. He ain't your problem. He's ours. And you just admitted that we ain't nothin' but a goddamn freak show to you. You getting bored cause they ain't much to see?" Now he felt that old temper raise it's head. A watered down version of it anyway.

"Go to hell, Buck Dixon." Andrea hissed. "I _like _Merle. You aren't going to turn it around and make me feel bad for caring whether he's sick or not."

"Tell me this then. Three weeks ago, someone calls you up and tells you either of my boys was sick. What would you have said then? Would you come runnin' to make sure they was alright or would you have turned that pretty nose of yours up in the air? I think we both know what you woulda done. So don't come around here showerin' us with your concern just because Carol looked passed everything that you people wouldn't let go of and now you all feel like a bunch of fuckin' assholes."

"You don't know a damn thing about me." She snapped as she slammed the cards down on the table.

He leaned in so their faces were much closer together. "I know exactly who the fuck you are. Been around your kind many times."

She stood up then, eyes flashing daggers at his face. "You're a real asshole. You judge people like me just as quickly as we judge you. That's the problem. It isn't one sided, Buck." His name came out of her mouth like it was venom on her tongue.

He just watched her coolly. Not really knowing what to say. She was even hotter when she was pissed off.

"So you aren't going to say anything?"

He stood up and came around the table, stopping behind her and leaning his head down so his mouth was next to her ear. "Go to bed, princess. I ain't got nothin' else to say to ya."

She spun around, gasping when she realized that his face was only a half an inch from hers and then gasped once more when he kissed her roughly. She shoved at him so he broke the contact but as soon as he did she grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him back to her.

It had been quite a while since Buck had been with a woman. But he wasn't so out of practice that he couldn't read the signs. This one had a bit of a chip on her shoulder, sure, but he could smell the want on her. Her lips were soft under his but she wasn't kissing him gently. Not at all. She met his anger with her own.

Her nails dug into the back of his neck.

"You got a room for that shit, ya know." Daryl grumbled as he came into the kitchen.

Andrea looked like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over her head. She nearly jumped away from him as her fingers went to her lips. Buck looked at him over his shoulder. "You're a real asshole, you know that?"

Daryl just shrugged as he went to the refrigerator and grabbed himself a drink. He leaned against it and smirked.

"I'm gonna go ahead and... uh..." Andrea looked like she was a little stunned.

"Second door on the left, darlin'." Buck said without even looking at her.

She left the kitchen on silent feet.

"Was you about too..." Daryl let his voice trail off as he glanced at the table and then made a face. "Jesus, Buck. We eat there."

"And Carol fixes food right there where you was about to..."

"Fine. Nobody gets to fuck nobody else in the kitchen." Daryl said as he threw his can in the trash on his way out. He stopped and looked at Buck then, all traces of humor gone from his face. "You don't mind keepin' an eye on Beth, do ya? Merle ain't doin' to good and he's tryin' like hell to keep quiet. He's still with it enough to keep bitchin' at me to go stand over that girl all night."

He nodded. "I was plannin' on sleepin' down here on the couch. Just in case, anyway."

Daryl walked towards the doorway. "Thanks Buck."

Buck watched him go and felt the beginnings of a smile creep onto his face. That boy was really something. He probably always had been, if Buck hadn't been so fucked out of his mind to notice. He knew he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. Too much had happened. Too many wounds had been open today for anything like sleep to come to him. He debated on whether he should go on upstairs. He knew the woman was ready and willing but he shook that thought off too.

He felt the beginnings of a headache coming on so he rubbed his temples as he made his way to the light switch. He found himself, more nights than not, sitting down here in the dark. Its when he did his best thinking. It's when he could simply reflect on his life. The dark was a welcoming thing. In prison, when the lights went out, he could close his eyes and pretend like he was somewhere else and when he opened his eyes he could still pretend. Here he didn't have to pretend he was anywhere but where he was. But it still soothed his frayed nerves.

He settled in the chair in the corner where he usually sat and listened to the quiet of the house. He had to keep reminding himself of the reason he shouldn't go to his room. He had to keep his family safe. He couldn't be going off and fucking some girl while there was someone out there that was at least thinking about hurting Beth. Not that she was family, but that didn't matter right now. She was something to his son so now she was something to him too.

~H~

_He couldn't believe no one had even gone to bed yet. He felt like he had been under here for days. He was calm now, lying flat on his back with his hands folded over his abdomen. His breathing was normal and even. _

_Daryl had came into the room a few times but he hadn't paid much attention to him when he did. He couldn't very well bolt from under the bed and subdue the boy without anyone knowing. Daryl was the smallest of the three but he was still strong. Fit. Not that any of that would help him in the end. Nor would their physique help his father or his brother either. It wouldn't do any of them any good._

_He heard footsteps outside of the open bedroom door. One of them had left the other room not long ago and must be just now returning. He had strained his ears to try to understand what they were doing. He heard Carol say something to Merle when she had come up so he assumed that they were in Merle's room. But they had been in there for a while. He couldn't think of any reason that they hadn't come to bed. He was dreading it when they did. He knew what was going to be happening right above him. He would have to hear them. He would be forced to hear Daryl's name on her lips. But they would have to sleep eventually. He still hadn't decided what he was going to do. He could flee or he could kill. _

_Something hideous occurred to him just then. Was she in there with them both? Was Beth with them? The images that filled his head then had him balling his fists so tight that his nails nearly cut into his palms. That couldn't be happening. But why else would they be in there. He was sure it was only Carol and the men. How could he had ever wanted her? What was she letting them do to her? What was she doing to them? He groaned out loud at the disgusting images that filled his mind. He shook his head back and forth as though that action would dislodge those thoughts._

_He wondered what his chances were to kill them all. It would only take one of them to see him and cry out before the men descended on him like a pack of hungry wolves. But he needed to do something to release this rage inside him. He couldn't go to work with this inside him. He couldn't face his friends with this inside him. There was only one person that may understand but he wouldn't confide in him. Not yet._

_Yes, he couldn't leave this house tonight without spilling blood. Without getting some sort of retribution for what this family has taken from him. _

~H~

Carol glanced up and her eyes locked on Daryl's. He was sitting in a chair that he had pulled over to set beside the bed. He was slouching with his feet propped up next to her. He was chewing his nails. His eyes flicked away from her and back down to his brother.

Merle was having one of the roughest nights yet. He was demanding that they lower the amount of drugs they were giving him, which was a really good thing for him to want but now she understood why Daryl didn't want to do that. Merle wasn't getting enough drugs to keep his body from actually falling apart and it was only getting worse. Right now he was lying on his back with his head in her lap, eyes closed as he clutched his midsection. Sometimes he would make a strange keening sound and then he would beg Daryl to shoot him up. Daryl would just look at him with that tormented expression on his face and shake his head. Merle trembled and shivered. Carol was stronger now. She didn't cry. He didn't need her pity, he needed her strength.

Daryl had told her that until his body actually went into a seizure he wasn't giving him anymore. Not until it was time.

"Maybe you should just go on to bed, Daryl. I can do this." She whispered.

He looked at her once more and then shook his head. "If it gets too bad your gonna be glad I stayed."

She really was thankful he was there with her. She thought that the first few days had been bad. She thought that after he got past that hurdle that he would be on the mend for good. As soon as his body became accustomed to the smaller amount and the withdrawals had subsided Daryl lowered it some more. And then Merle himself had cut it down even lower than that. The result was very ugly but she admired his strength. Every morning that he lowered the dose he knew the nightmare that would consume him eventually.

He groaned loudly and then rolled over onto his side and buried his head into her stomach. This happened most nights. She stroked his hair absently and frowned at Daryl. "You don't look like you've slept in two days. Go to bed." She ordered.

He sighed and stood up. She thought that he was going to finally listen to her. But, of course, he didn't. He walked around to the other side of the bed and then she felt the mattress shift under his weight. Merle groaned and then suddenly there was a pillow and Daryl's head next to her hip.

"I'm sleepin' here then." He said quietly.

She gave him a small smile. "As long as you sleep somewhere."

Merle muttered something but then he was still. She waited for a few more minutes before she moved. When she did move all she did was lay back, his head still on her like it always was. She was tired herself. She just really hoped that Andrea or Beth didn't come looking for them in the morning and find them like this. That would be really hard to explain away.

~H~

Buck got up from the table, his legs stiff from sitting there for so long. He had come to a decision that he wouldn't be joining blondie for a romp in his bed. It was a damn shame too cause that woman had fire. He figured he would get other chances. He was pretty sure she just wanted him to be some sort of dirty little secret. Fuck it, he'd be whatever the hell she wanted him to be as long as he was able to get something out of it.

He made his way in the dark down the hall and to the bathroom. He was just about to take a leak when he heard, very faintly, the sound of someone walking across the hardwood floor. Whoever it was they had on hard soled shoes. Everyone here was suppose to be in bed so it didn't make any sense to him. The footsteps were coming closer to the bathroom. He reached out quickly and turned off the light. Merle wouldn't be up and about. Not right now. Daryl always padded around barefoot. Carol always wore those fluffy socks that never seemed to match. Who the hell was walking towards the kitchen in fucking shoes?

Something like that could have gone unnoticed to anyone else but Buck was a goddamn criminal. That made him more alert and observant than any law man. A good criminal had to think quick, assess the situation and know when to act. It was a taxing job but somebody had to do it. Well, not that he did anything anymore but the things he had picked up throughout his life wasn't things that were easily forgotten.

His heart was pounding steadily, his breath slow and even but his mouth was filling with saliva. He knew there was danger on the other side of that door and that old part of him craved the violence. Yearned for it. The muscles in his shoulders and neck tensed. He'd never hurt his boys again. He'd never hurt Carol. Hell, he wouldn't ever even hurt blondie. But he was ready to hurt someone.

He eased open the bathroom door only open for enough for himself to slip out. He glanced towards the kitchen doorway and sure enough there was no light coming from the room. He was the only one that didn't bother turning on lights. He knew every spot in the floor that creaked and he avoided every spot. When he finally made it to the kitchen doorway he didn't stick his head in. He stayed back in the deeper shadows of the hallway and scanned the room with nothing but his eyes. He didn't see anything until his eyes landed on the back door. It was standing open.

He cursed under his breath, scanned the empty room one more time and then strode towards the door. He heard something behind him then and spun around but it was too late. There was someone there, dressed in black. Buck tried to grab the guy but the guy was smaller than him and a lot quicker. The man made one quick upward motion and Buck knew then that he'd been cut. He didn't feel the sting yet but he felt the heat. It was deep. Carol had the good stuff. All her knives were sharp.

He lunged for the man once more, was able to grab his shirtfront but before he could slam a giant fist into his face the man swung his arm down. Buck's arm seemed to loose its strength then and he stumbled backwards just enough for the smaller man to run towards the door.

Buck felt the counter behind his back. He put a hand to his chest and pulled it back and looked down. In the dark room his hand looked black. He straightened up, feeling dizzy, and cracked his neck. He made it to the bottom of the stairs before he saw the floor coming up to meet his face. He didn't feel afraid. He'd made his peace. He had one last bit of energy and with it he pulled in as much air as he could and yelled. At least he hoped it was a yell. He couldn't tell. It could have been a whisper for all he knew. It felt kind of good. If he was going to go out it was nice to go out with his baby boys name being the last thing that left his lips. Like a lot of things lately, it was sort of poetic...

**I swear to you that I only do this because I never make you guys wait long! And for those of you that have read my other stories, you know me. Just keep that in mind, okay? I'm trying to build suspense. Don't scream at me too much! I just thought this would be a good place to stop. I love Buck just as much, if not more, than you all do and I also have this unending need for HAPPY endings =) **


	34. Chapter 34

**Okay, I will say it again, I am sorry for the cliff hanger! But I did get this finished early for you. That gives me points, right? Thank you for not hating me too much for it. This chapter should shed a little more light on Daryl's inner struggles when it comes to Buck. I hope it does anyway. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for reading! You all have a great Tuesday! And forgive me my typos! I wanted to get this posted as soon as I could!**

Chapter Thirty Four

Daryl felt exhaustion overtaking him. He'd forced himself to stay awake after he heard Carol's even breathing, heavy with sleep. Merle was finally out too, her hand still on his face with his head lying heavily on her stomach. It was there typical position. But tonight he wanted to stay awake long enough to get her back to their own bed. Merle was a big boy and he needed to learn how to sleep through the night without Daryl's girlfriend. God this family was so fucked up.

He had changed his mind when he finally started feeling himself drifting off to sleep. What did it matter anyway whether she slept with him or slept with Merle? It didn't anymore so it wouldn't be a big deal if she just slept with them both at the same time. He chuckled sleepily. He was going to have to mention that one to Buck in the morning. Make sure he waited till he was about to take a drink or something.

He frowned suddenly. In the back of his mind something told him to get up. Had he heard someone call his name? It had sounded a lot like Buck but that was probably just because he was half asleep and thinking about him.

But something wasn't right. The tone was off. How could he imagine Buck calling out for him if the tone the man had used was something that he had never heard in Buck's voice before? He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. It wouldn't hurt to check. Maybe the old bastard fell and broke his hip. He shuffled down the hall, still not quite awake. There was a switch by the staircase that turned on the chandelier in the foyer. He hit the switch and started down the stairs.

He stopped in his tracks. The scene before him wasn't quite registering in his mind. From here it looked like Buck was lying at the bottom of the stairs. Blood was pooling around him. It was only a split second though. Suddenly his feet were flying, one word clawing its way up his throat and tearing out of his suddenly dry mouth.

"Dad!"

He slipped as soon as he hit the floor, landing on his knees in the still warm blood next to Buck. He thought he heard himself scream for Carol but he wasn't sure. He pulled at Buck's shirt to roll him over but the material was gave way. It looked like it had been shredded. He pulled as hard as he could at Buck's shoulder until he was finally able to roll the big man over.

"Oh no..." He breathed.

Buck was flayed open. There was too much blood to see how bad it was but that had to mean that it was bad enough. Daryl heard feet on the stairs but he couldn't take his eyes off of the bloody mess that the ripped shirt revealed. A sob escaped his lips and then another. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not when things were so good. He had a family and now it was being ripped away. His eyes finally trailed up to Buck's face and then he gasped as the man's eyes fluttered open. Buck's lips twitched when they locked on Daryl's. Daryl sobbed once more, felt the heat from tears on his face.

He was alive. He was still alive.

Buck lifted one big hand and placed it on the side of Daryl's face. That was all it took. That one small show of affection from the man that had done so much damage to him was all it took to send a jolt through him more painful than anything he had ever felt before. No sound could penetrate the strange rushing ring in his ears and as Buck's eyes fluttered shut once more and his hand dropped away from Daryl's face Daryl grasped the hand desperately in his own.

"No. Stay awake." He choked. He finally looked up frantically. Carol was standing against the wall, sobbing into Andrea's shoulder as Beth spoke quickly to someone on the phone. He still couldn't make out any words. His gaze fell back to Buck's face, he still help the giant hand in his own. "Don't fuckin' die!" He roared. "You can't do that. You can't die!" Why the fuck couldn't his dad stop hurting him?

Carol pulled herself away from Andrea, who looked like she was in complete shock, and dropped to her knees on the other side of Buck.

Daryl stared at her. "Get my brother." He said in a low voice. "Now, Carol."

She nodded and then stood up, her knees soaked through with blood. She took the stares two at a time. He could hear sirens in the distance. He held on to Buck's hand but he couldn't look at that pale face anymore. He dropped his head onto Buck's shoulder, tears scorching his face.

He heard a flurry of footsteps on the porch and then someone was pounding on the door. The sirens had stopped. It was Beth who opened it. People were talking all at once, asking him questions he couldn't even make any sense of. He felt a hand on his arm and swung his head around, wretching himself away from the unwanted touch.

Merle was there, looking down at Buck with a confused expression on his face. He stayed upright, his arm was around Carol who had her head buried into his chest. His eyes locked onto Daryl's.

"We finish this shit, you hear me?" Daryl snapped as he finally dropped Buck's hand and wiped tears from his face. He was probably leaving a bloodied streak but he didn't care. "Ain't none of these mother fuckin' cops gonna finish it."

Merle nodded, eyes flashing.

Daryl got out of the way as men struggled to get Bucks massive frame on a gurney. When they covered his face with an oxygen mask Daryl looked away. But it was a good sign, right? If Buck was dead already they wouldn't have bothered with that, would they?

When he had first seen Buck lying there in his own blood he felt something inside him give way. Something deep inside was left empty. As much as he had fought the man. As much as he tried to convince himself that he didn't want him and didn't need him, it had all been a lie. The only thing he had ever wanted was for his father to accept him. For him to be proud of him. He'd gotten that. And now there was a hole there. But it was filling up. Filling up with something dark.

Andrea was standing off to herself now, talking to two policemen. Beth had both her arms around Merle, crying softly into his side. Merle looked like he was in shock but he had an arm around the girl. His face was expressionless and his eyes were vacant, until they met his own. Daryl's eyes flicked away from his brothers to watch Buck be pushed out the front door.

He felt a tentative hand on his arm and he looked down at it. Carol was standing next to him now, eyes huge and tears streaking her face. "What happened?" She asked right before her face fell.

He pulled her to him and then stroked her hair, staring down at the smeared blood still glistening on the floor. He didn't answer her because he had no idea. But he would. He would figure it out and when he found the mother fucker he was planning on showing the coward how much Daryl could be exactly like Buck Dixon.

He lifted the hand that was resting on the back of Carol's head. It was sticky, covered in blood. Buck's blood.

_His_ blood.

~H~

Carol hated hospitals. No one would let them leave to ride with Buck in the ambulance. He was in surgery as far as they knew. They had a lot of questions they had to answer so they were stuck at the house for longer than she would have liked. Eventually the investigators had let Andrea leave and she promised to come straight to the hospital and wait until they could get there. Just in case something happened Buck wouldn't have been completely alone. Carol had been touched that she would do something like that. Shane had actually been the one to offer to give her a ride.

Carol had been here more times than she would like to admit. The emergency waiting room wasn't very full which was a good thing but the few people in there were staring at all of them. Her, Beth, Merle and Daryl. Daryl was a mess. He had washed Buck's blood off his face and hands but his clothes were covered in it. He looked like he had committed a murder. She hadn't bothered to change clothes herself and the knees of her pajama pants were stained red. Not to mention that the Dixon's were notorious for violence and she sat there with a black eye. If she ever saw that woman again she was going to break her nose.

The doctor, one that Carol had never met before, had came out not long ago and explained that they had to repair a lot of damaged blood vessels. He also noted that if Buck was a man with a regular build he would have pretty much lost his entrails. But there had been too much muscle in the way and whoever had done this hadn't had the time or the strength to do as much damage as he had probably liked.

When Daryl heard the news that Buck was going to pull through just fine he had stalked off to the mens room. She was worried about Daryl. More than worried, really. She was terrified. There had been a killer in their house. Buck could have died. Any of them could have been a victim. But the thing that scared her more than all of that was this new look in Daryl's eyes. He wasn't acting a whole lot different than he ever had before. Not towards her. It was that look alone that scared her.

"How bout I hire somebody to come in and paint a fuckin' portrait of myself for you assholes? That sound like fun? Put your goddamn eyeballs back in your head." He snapped.

Carol looked up in time to see two men look away quickly. She looked up at Daryl and he was still glaring at the men.

"Hey..." She said softly as she guided his face towards her. She knew he was stressed out but this wasn't really like him at all. He normally just ignored things like that.

His expression softened when he finally looked down at her. He brushed some unruly hair out of her face and settled back in the uncomfortable plastic chair. She laid her head back down on his shoulder. She was so tired. She looked out the large windows and saw that it was almost daylight. None of them had slept enough for it to matter much. Daryl hadn't slept at all.

Beth had her knees pulled up into her chair, her arms wrapped around them and her head leaning on Merle's shoulder. She had been the only one smart enough to call 911. Everyone else had been to shocked to do anything. Carol had been forced to give Merle the heroin herself. He hadn't been able to do it. His hands had been to shaky. She had missed the first try and had to focus. She actually had his stash in her purse just in case they wanted to do a thorough check of the house. The last thing they needed was for them to find heroin in their room.

The doctor came out once more, face grim. Carols heart sank.

"He's... uh... in recovery. We told him that both of his sons could see him now but he insisted that Mrs. Pelet..."

"She ain't no fuckin' _Peletier_. And I'm insistin' my damn self. We all three need to see him." Daryl was nearly growling at the doctor and Carol had to grab his arm to keep him from leaping from the chair.

"Daryl, it's okay. I can stay out here with Beth." She said softly. She was getting more and more worried about him.

Merle cleared his throat. "You two go on ahead. I'll stay here with Beth and when y'all are done I'll go on by myself."

Daryl still looked as though he were about to beat someone to death but he only shrugged. He grabbed her hand and then headed for the double doors that that the doctor had emerged from.

"It's Mason." He grumbled as he shouldered past the man.

Carol shot the doctor an apologetic look as she walked by. He offered her a tired smile. The guy was probably used to dealing with distraught family members. She hoped that's all this was. That strange animalistic look was still there in Daryl's eyes. She hated to admit it but she was almost afraid of it. She didn't think he would hurt_ her_ but he looked like he really wanted to hurt _someone_.

"Carol?"

She stopped and turned. There stood a doctor she recognized well. "Doctor Rothenberg?" She gave him a smile. He had been the one to see her every single time she had an "accident" at home. And on the few occasions that she didn't try to lie and say that her injuries were an accident at all. He knew about Ed. He had talked to her several times about it.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he looked from her to Daryl who's grip on her hand was becoming painfully tight.

"Oh, yes. I'm fine. A friend of mine is here. We were on our way to see him."

"Oh, yes. Of course. My shift just started but I heard about what happened at your house. I'm glad you're okay." He smiled vaguely and then his eyes flicked to Daryl.

"Oh, Daryl, this is Jim Rothenberg. Jim, Daryl Dixon." She introduced them but neither man looked very impressed with the other. Doctor Rothenberg didn't look anything like an actual doctor. He had dark hair that always seemed a bit mused and a beard that looked a little unkempt. He had always reminded her of a tired but friendly auto mechanic. He was a capable doctor though. He had patched her up plenty of times.

"We gonna get in there and see him or stand around and chat all day?" Daryl asked, not taking his eyes off of the Doctor.

"I'm glad you're doing good, Carol. I'll see you around, I'm sure." He smiled and then was hurrying away before she could even say anything else.

Daryl was pulling her along once more.

"You didn't have to be so rude to the man, Daryl." She whispered.

He ignored her and picked up his pace a little.

~H~

Buck felt like shit. He didn't know what they had given him for the pain but it was making him feel like he was going to be sick and it made him feel like his thought process was just out of reach. Everything was jumbled together. It was fading fast though, things were coming into focus more. Especially after that asshole doctor told him that two was the total amount of visitors he could have in his room until he was sent to some other part of the hospital. He fucking hated hospitals.

From what little bit he was able to gather from that dumb as shit doctor he had damn near been gutted. He couldn't believe that someone got the drop on him. He was sure that whoever had been in the house had took off out the back door. What he couldn't figure out was how he had gotten into the house to begin with. Had he been there the whole night? Had he just came in when Buck had been in the bathroom and heard him in the hallway? But that didn't make any sense. Not that anything made sense at the moment.

Whoever it was hadn't had a weapon on them. He was sure that the knife that had slashed him open had come right from the knives sitting next to the cutting board on the counter. So who broke into someones house without a weapon if they knew that there were people home?

No one.

He almost sat up when something else occurred to him. Merle giving Carol a hard time over not locking the door. He hadn't thought anything of it at the time but now that he thought about it, Carol was always careful about things like that. She had locked the door as soon as they had all stepped into the house. So whoever it was, they were already in the house before they had gotten home.

Someone tapped on the door then but before he could say anything it opened and Daryl came in, Carol right on his heels. When he looked at her those big blue eyes instantly filled up with tears. She rolled her eyes and brushed the tears away like they were an annoyance.

"You had me scared to death." She nearly whispered. Like getting sliced up was his fault.

He forced a weak smile even though the gears in his head were turning wildly now. When he pulled his gaze away from Carol and looked at his son he felt that smile fade off his face. He remembered what had happened. He remembered seeing him there on the floor kneeling in a puddle of blood. Daryl had been saying something but he couldn't recall what it was. Buck just knew that the boy had been a mess. He looked like a man that had his shit together now though. He looked like a man that was focused.

"What'cha got rattlin' around in that hard head of yours, baby boy?" He asked in a low voice.

Those blue eyes flashed up and met Buck's own with an intensity that almost had Buck looking away. He'd seen that look in Merle's eyes before. He'd seen that look staring back at him from the mirror but he had never seen it in Daryl's eyes until now. He felt a small amount of panic seize him. It would have been worse if he wasn't all dulled on the meds they had given him.

"Get that shit outta your head right now, you hear me?" Buck rasped.

Daryl shook his head slowly.

"You ain't no goddamn killer, son. You let Rick and Shane handle this shit." Buck knew what Daryl was planning on doing. The boy didn't have to say a word. Buck just knew. He knew the look. Daryl was focused alright. He was focused on revenge.

"Rick and Shane ain't gonna do shit and you fuckin' know it." Daryl growled.

Buck shook his head. Daryl was going to go after this guy himself and probably end up getting killed himself. He was out for blood.

"What? What are you two talking about?" Carol asked as she backed away from the dangerous look on Daryl's face.

"You think you'll have more luck findin' the asshole than the cops?" Buck asked.

Daryl nodded. "Yeah."

"Daryl, what are you talking about?" Carol asked again.

Daryl looked at her once more and Buck could see that he was struggling. He didn't want to scare her. She was the boy's only weakness and Buck was about to jump all over it.

"Daryl here is gonna try to find the guy himself. His brother too, I'm sure. You best talk some sense into him, darlin'. Before me and you are burying them both."

Carol looked pretty skeptical. She shook her head. "You can't be serious. If no one else has a clue who's doing all this then how the hell can you and Merle?"

Daryl just shrugged and walked over to sit in the chair next to Buck's bed. "Merle has a lot of connections. All we gotta do is put the word out that we have a score to settle with whoever is doin' this. Tell'em what they did to Buck. It's one thing to turn someone in to the cops for doin' shady shit. But when it comes to spillin' information to other people, people like _Dixons_, that's different. Ain't it Buck?"

Buck shifted on the bed and winced. He glared at Daryl. "You leave this alone, son." He ground out between clenched teeth.

Daryl shook his head. "What if you'd found me like that? Or Merle. Fuck, what if you'd found Carol layin' in a puddle of her own fuckin' blood?"

Buck physically flinched as he envisioned the images Daryl was forcing into his head.

"I thought you was dead." Daryl snapped.

"You're better than this." Buck said, feeling drained. He eased his head back down onto the pillow.

"I ain't so different than Merle and you. Not when it comes to this." He said quietly.

Buck looked over at Carol. She was staring at Daryl now. "Baby girl, ya think you can give us a minute?"

Her eyes flicked down to his face and then she smiled softly but it did nothing to hide the fear in her eyes. She placed her hand on the side of his face and bent down, kissing the corner of Buck's mouth lightly and then she laid her forehead against his. "I love you, Buck Dixon. But if you ever scare me like that again, you wont believe the screaming fit I'm gonna throw at you."

"Yes, ma'am." Buck returned the smile. "Send Merle on in here for me, alright?"

She nodded and then left the room without even glancing in Daryl's direction. When the door was shut Buck tried to sit up once again but he physically couldn't do it. He dropped his head back down as Daryl scooted to the edge of his seat. Anxiety now covered the angry mask he had worn just a few minutes ago.

"You okay?" He asked worriedly.

Buck shook his head. "Of course not. Are you stupid or somethin'? You ain't gonna try to go after this crazy fucker, Daryl. I'll kick your ass if you do. As soon as I'm able I'll beat the shit outta you and your brother both." he growled.

Daryl shook his head. "No you wont. And you gotta realize the same thing I did, dad."

Buck just stared at him then.

Daryl went on. "You think that son of a bitch was in that house for you? Ain't been a man touched since this crazy shit started. He was there for_ her_. I gotta do this for her cause if I don't and somethin' happens to her..." He shook his head, unable to even think what he was going to say. "And I had your blood all over my hands. I don't think you understand what somethin' like that does to a man. You of all people." He shook his head angrily.

"You do this clean. You understand me?" Buck hissed after a few minutes of silence. The boy was smart. He knew that girl was a weakness to all three of them. But he had a point. A damn good point. They couldn't let anything happen to her.

Daryl blew out a relieved breath and nodded.

**In case I wasn't able to give a very good description, Doctor Jim is Jim from the Atlanta survivors. His last name was never mentioned in the show or the comics so I just used the last name of the actor that played him. I didn't figure it would be very cool for Carol to simply call him Doctor Jim. Well, I guess it would have been kind of funny but I know better than to actually do that! Good night to you all!**


	35. Chapter 35

**I'm so glad that you were all so happy that Buck was okay! I never planned on turning him into this kind of character. He was only suppose to last a few chapters but I fell in love with the man as soon as I had him open his mouth. He was suppose to be the villain here! It didn't quite work out that way. There is a little bit of everything in this chapter so hopefully you enjoy it! There are a few "AH HA!" moments. Some questions get answered here. Things are coming together much slower than I thought they would. I hope that's alright. Tell me if it's getting tedious to read! Hope everyone has a great day!**

Chapter Thirty Five

Carol drove. It rarely happened anymore with all the love sick men in the house that fawned over the car but she wanted to do something to take her mind off of everything that had happened. Even if it was only for a little while. Beth had gotten a frantic phone call from an angry Maggie so they were dropping her off at the cafe so Beth could meet her there.

"Maybe we should stop by the house and y'all get cleaned up and we can all just come together to wait for Maggie. It's safer that way." Merle said from the back seat.

Carol expected Daryl to instantly shoot down that idea but he didn't. "Ain't a bad idea. Least till her sister shows up."

"Y'all don't have to babysit me." Beth said quietly.

Carol looked up in the mirror and saw Beth looking at Merle. Merle ignored her. Daryl was the one that responded.

"It ain't babysittin'." He stated simply.

When she pulled into the driveway and turned off the car no one bothered to get out. She knew the mess that was waiting for them in there. She wasn't looking forward to cleaning up all of that blood but there was nothing she could do to avoid it. It needed to be cleaned up. Daryl was the first one out of the car, everyone else following him.

"Jesus. Was it this bad before?" Carol asked as they all stepped around the gore on the floor. It wasn't as hard to look at as she had thought it would be. Buck was fine. He was alive if not totally well. If he hadn't made it then it would have been impossible to look at. "I'll find you something to wear, Beth, then I'll get this cleaned up." She said absently as she walked around the blood and headed up the stairs.

"We can clean it up." Merle said quietly.

Carol didn't say anything. If he wanted to clean it up she'd let him. She suddenly felt very tired and very overwhelmed. She had been so worried about Buck that she hadn't really had much time to think about anything else. Now her tired mind was trying hard to make sense of everything that had happened and it wasn't easy.

She went to her closet and hesitated there. She didn't want to open the door. What if the creep was back and he was waiting for her to open the closet? She was suddenly filled with so much anxiety that she took a step back and then another.

She was about to bolt out of the room but as soon as she turned she ran right into a hard chest. She gasped and tried to take a step back but it was only Daryl. He grabbed her hand.

"What is it?" He asked, his eyes scanning the room.

She felt ridiculous. She was afraid of her own house now and she felt her eyes fill with tears. It was the middle of the afternoon. There was nothing to be afraid of. But she _was _afraid. And it wasn't just the recent events that had her scared. It was Daryl. Or the change she could still see in his eyes. She knew that seeing Buck like that was hard on him. She even knew that deep down he loved his father and was excited to see where this new relationship would go. She could still see all of that. But when she looked at him now, even when he tried to hide it from her, she could still see a strong current of hate. Anger. And that wasn't him. That wasn't the person that she knew. Not the person that she loved. This was someone else.

"Carol? Did ya see somethin'? What the hell is wrong?" He was starting to sound frantic so she shook her head.

"Nothing. I didn't see anything. It's stupid, really. I was about to get Beth something out of the closet and then I couldn't open the door. I was afraid to open the door." She wiped away the annoying tears with her free hand.

He let go of her hand and stormed over to the closet, throwing open the door and then peering in. When he turned to look at her he gestured towards the clothes. "All clear." He stepped back when she approached the clothes. He grabbed her arm as she passed him and she couldn't help but flinch a little.

"It ain't stupid, alright?" He said in a softer tone that she was afraid she wouldn't hear again.

She relaxed in his grip and brushed his hair back out of his eyes. She decided then that it wasn't going to do her any good to keep how she felt to herself. "You're scaring the hell out of me." She whispered.

He frowned and searched her eyes. "What?"

"You've got this look in your eyes that's scaring the hell out of me." She said cautiously.

They stared at one another for so long Carol started wondering if he had even heard her. Finally he sighed and pulled her closer. "You think I'd do somethin' to hurt you?" He asked, looking like he very well thought she did think he would hurt her.

She shook her head quickly. "Do you think it wouldn't hurt me if you went out there and got yourself killed just because you think you have to get even now? There's a lot of things you could do to hurt me Daryl."

He kept his arms around her waist and his eyes on hers. "He didn't come here for Buck, Carol. He came here for you or Beth. Maybe he came here for both of you. The only reason he didn't kill Buck last night was because Buck is a hard mother fucker to kill. What do Shane and Rick have on this guy? They know to look for a big dark colored vehicle. And they wouldn't know that if we hadn't been there that mornin' to see it. They ain't found shit. No witnesses, no prints. Nothin'."

There really wasn't anything she could say to that. He was right. But she couldn't let him do something so crazy. Whoever this was wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone, obviously. "I'll sell this house. I'll sell the car. I'll sell everything and move to a different state before I let something like this ruin what we have. And that's what will happen. If you don't let this go. Let the police do their job, it'll ruin us, Daryl. Doesn't that bother you at all?"

She felt him tense and then his eyes flicked away from hers. She'd said too much. He wasn't good at all this emotional stuff. She took a deep breath and then tried to put on a brave face.

"So if I try to stop some guy, some guy that I_ know _will hurt you, then you think I don't care? That don't make no sense. You'd drop everything and leave?"

He didn't understand what she was trying to say and she didn't know how to explain it to him. She blew out a frustrated breath. "This isn't just about me. This is about you avenging Buck. Don't act like it isn't. I know that you care about me. I'd be an idiot to think otherwise and I wouldn't go anywhere unless you were willing to go with me. You should know that."

"So you want me to do nothin'? The bastard almost killed my dad. He could try to kill you. What the fuck am I suppose to do?"

"Wait. Just wait for him to get caught. He's getting really sloppy. He proved that last night."

"The only thing he proved last night is that he's either getting more desperate or he's done flew off the goddamn deep end. Somebody has to stop him."

"And it has to be you." She said quietly, placing her hands on the sides of his face to keep him from looking away.

He didn't answer her. She didn't figure he would. "Best get Beth some clothes and hit the shower. If she's late then that sister of hers will have all our asses."

She nodded, knowing that talking wasn't doing any good at the moment.

"Ain't nothin' gonna happen to any of us. And you wont have to be afraid to look in the damn closet anymore." He said before he dropped his arms from around her.

"And you end up landing yourself in prison, what do I do then? Write you letters? Accept your collect calls?"

"That wont happen." He muttered.

She smiled weakly, unable to say anything else. For now, anyway. She no longer trusted her voice so she just grabbed her and Beth something to wear silently. He was watching her but she didn't bother looking at him. For the first time since the day they had met she was afraid to meet his eyes. He didn't say anything else either.

She smiled at Beth as she handed her the stack of clothes. Merle almost had the mess cleaned up but the blood was going to stain the wood something awful. They would just have to cover it with a rug or something. She was about to head back upstairs when Merle reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"You need to stop worryin' about him, ya know? He's gonna be fine." He said quietly.

She took a deep breath and nodded at him before pulling her wrist out of his grasp and hurrying up the stairs. She didn't care what Merle said. Sometimes Merle was an idiot. Sure he would think that it was just fine to go off and try to find a murderer on your own. No big deal. Just another day in the life of the Dixons. She was letting herself get angry because if she didn't then she was just going to cry again and she was tired of crying. That wasn't getting her anywhere at all. Maybe he would listen if she threw a sobbing fit but she doubted it. All she could do was hope like hell none of these men that Daryl wanted to talk too knew anything about these killings.

~H~

"What the hell do you mean y'all don't know shit about these killings, Oscar?" Buck hissed at the man that was now sitting in the seat next to his hospital bed. "You know every goddamn thing that goes on in this place."

Oscar and Buck went back quite a few years. Oscars dad, John, had befriended Buck shortly after him and Jenna had found themselves in John's backyard. Literally. John had owned a big portion of land on the outskirts of town. Buck and Jenna had been camping out in some woods on the mans property when he had stumbled onto them. Buck found himself staring right into the barrel of a .44 Desert Eagle.

John had asked who the fuck they were and why they were on his property. Buck explained as much as he could and it seemed the guy saw a kindred spirits of sorts in Buck. When he introduced Jenna, who was a real sweet girl back then, John had been pretty impressed by them both. Especially Buck. He offered him a job and after that Buck worked his way up from street crud to being the right hand man to one of the most respected drug kingpins in Georgia. They had been close after that. Buck made the man a lot of money and he'd gotten rid of plenty of the mans competition. Life was sweet for a while. Until Buck became a complete spaced out addict. He'd been "sampling" too much of the product. But even after Buck was "let go" from his duties, they had remained close. As close as Buck ever got to anyone back then.

"Man, we ain't heard a thing. Nothin'. You know daddy don't let shit this big go on around here. The last thing he needs is the Feds all over this town. Got men askin' around, diggin' like dogs. No luck."

"This isn't one of John's boys gone rogue on him? You know what kind of people he keeps close." Buck was grasping at straws now. He thought for sure that if he went straight to the top of the criminal chain that he would find out who the hell was doing this. He hadn't had a doubt in his mind.

Oscar shook his head. "No way, brother. You know as well as I do that none of them men would be that stupid. It goes down the chain too. Nobody is talkin' because there ain't shit to say. This is some spooky shit man. This ain't got anything to do with our boys. Especially since up until now, it was only women getting the knife. We run a clean business here."

Buck nodded. "I know." He chuckled. "As clean as druglords can be now days, right?"

Oscar just grinned. "That's right."

Oscar was about the same age as Merle but Oscar was a lot like his daddy. He had a knack for the business and the he was good with money but unlike Merle and Buck, John and Oscar didn't have much taste for their own product.

"What about that other thing I asked you to look into?" Buck asked, feeling himself tense at the mention of the subject.

Oscar settled back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Man, that bitch has us all walkin' around on eggshells."

"You found out why Jenna is back?" Buck asked, wanting to sit up but knowing he couldn't.

Oscar shook his head. "That's the thing man. She's been back for months. She just kept her ass hidden till she found out you got out."

"Months?" Buck frowned. "The fuck you mean months?"

"Just what I said. She's been back for about six months now. I don't know what the fuck she's up too. You know her better than I do. But this ain't just about your boy, Buck. This is big. She's sinking them claws into somethin' that could fuck us all up. Don't be too surprised if that woman turns up floatin' in Quarry lake."

"What the hell are you talkin' about?" Buck was getting tired of this kid beating around the bush.

Oscar leaned forward in his chair, face growing serious. "You know who Philip Blake is, right?"

Buck did sit up this time and he winced as the stitches and staples pulled. "You ain't serious." He growled.

Oscar nodded. "As a fuckin' heart attack, brother. This ain't good news for none of us."

"Mother fuck!" Buck growled as he eased himself back down. This wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. The power hungry bitch was smart though. The fucking Mayor. Buck shook his head and stared up at the ceiling. "I gotta get rid of her."

"You know you'll land your ass right back in State, right? You need to leave this to my dad, Buck. He's got a lot to lose and she knows a lot about the goings on in this town."

~H~

Daryl hesitated outside the bathroom door. He needed to get his shit together. He needed to figure out exactly what he needed to do. He had made Buck promise to make some calls. He didn't know the first thing about hunting down a fucking murderer but he knew he had too. Merle knew the crowd that would be able to give him the information he needed but Buck was the one that knew all the big shots. Buck had been one himself back in his hayday. He was still respected in that world and so were Merle and Daryl just because they were Buck's boys. He never thought that being Buck's son was something that would ever come in handy. To him anyway.

So hopefully Buck could lead him in the right direction. Until then, he needed to try to calm the fuck down and stop scaring Carol. He knew that she was scared. He wasn't sure if she was scared_ for_ him or _of_ him at this point. Either way it had to be fixed. But she wanted him to let all this go and he couldn't do that. It wasn't just about avenging Buck. It was about protecting her. But he would meet her halfway. Or at least lie to her about meeting her halfway. He felt a little bad about that part but he didn't feel like he had a choice. He didn't want her to stress out.

He had heard the shower turn off a few minutes ago and he figured she was dressed enough for him to come in now. If he had went to her before he knew her clothes were on then they weren't going to be going anywhere for a while. He tapped on the door.

She opened it a crack and peered out at him with one angry blue eye. At least she wasn't crying again. He hated that. "What Daryl?" She asked.

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." He mumbled, causing that blue eye to narrow at him.

"For what?" She asked hotly.

"Would you just let me in?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

She opened the door and walked back towards the counter. She was wearing another one of those damn shirts that just tied in the back. He frowned. He was trying to focus here and she was fucking with him. Well, she wasn't meaning too but that's what she was doing. "How many of them damn shirts do you got?" He grumbled.

She looked up at him in the mirror and scowled. "Don't you even think about telling me what I can and can't wear Daryl Dixon. I bought three as soon as I moved in here. I wasn't allowed to wear stuff like this when I lived with Ed so I said to hell with it. Dumb ass forgot to put any marks on my back. This was a big screw you to him."

"I wasn't gonna try to tell ya what to wear." He shrugged. "I wouldn't care if ya didn't wear anything. But Merle and Buck would probably get pissed off." He watched as she pursed her lips to try to stop herself from smiling. She was covering up that black eye with makeup again.

"What are you sorry about, Daryl?" She asked.

"I'm sorry for actin' like an ass. And I'm sorry for not listenin' to a damn thing you was tryin' to tell me."

She met his eyes in the mirror. "So you wont try to find this guy?" She said hopefully.

He ran his finger lightly down her spine and watched goosebumps break out over her skin. "I'm gonna try to find this guy." He said, and braced himself for the next thing he was going to tell her because his next words were going to be a lie and he hated that. "But whatever I find I'll tell Shane and Rick and let them do the dirty work, alright?" He finally looked up in the mirror again and the relief in her eyes had him looking away.

She turned around and kissed him, catching him off guard for a second. "Thank you." She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You don't even know how much that means to me."

Man he was such a fucking asshole.

"You ready to go drink some bad coffee and wait for Beth's bitchy sister, or what?" He asked, unable to keep his eyes on her smile for long.

Instead of answering him she kissed him again, this time deeper and longer than the first time. He was pressing her against the counter before he realized it. His hand roamed up the front of her shirt. The best thing about these shirts is that she couldn't wear a bra when she wore them.

"Daryl?" She breathed when she pulled her lips away from his. "We should go."

He groaned but then he pulled his hand away, lacing his fingers through hers. "Let's get this shit over with. See what else can go wrong today." He sighed.

~H~

Merle slid his bike into one of the parking spaces in front of the cafe, Daryl following suit. He offered Beth his hand when he was off the bike and she took it with a grin. She had begged him to take the bike instead of the car. Well, she really didn't beg. All she did was ask and then she said please so he had to do it. Daryl had rolled his eyes at him, like that little fucker could say anything. All Carol had to do was snap and he was running.

"I need one of these." Beth said as her smile dropped a little. She ran her small hand down the glossy black gas tank.

"If I ever win the lottery then maybe I'll build ya one." he smirked.

Her smile broadened once more until her eyes landed on something behind him, causing the smile to fall from her face completely.

He turned and saw Maggie sitting in one of the chairs next to Glen. She was glaring in their direction. He tried to drop Beth's hand but she only tightened her grip.

"No." She snapped. "She's gonna get over it."

Merle smirked and then glanced over his shoulder once more. Maggie's eyes were shooting daggers at him. He winked at her. When he looked back down at Beth he couldn't help but ask. "Get over what, exactly?"

"Me likin' you. She can get over it." With that she led him towards the doors. The patio wasn't as packed as it had been the other few times he had been here. They found a table close to where Glen and Maggie were sitting. Beth sat down in a chair that put her right behind her sister.

"Mornin' Maggie." Beth said as she turned in her chair to look at her sister. Her hand was still lost in Merle's. If she wanted to use him to piss that sister of hers off then fuck it. He'd let her. He had a lot of time to think about what Maggie had said yesterday. He had thought about it long and hard after he had talked to Buck. Buck was proud of him. Carol was proud of him. He was turning into a different man and if Beth liked that man then Beth's sister could go fuck herself. That was the conclusion he had come too.

"I thought, since daddy wont be out until tomorrow that we could spend the night at Glen's." Maggie said, trying to sound sweet.

"I ain't sure if that's where I want to stay. I'd rather stay with Merle." Beth said, not breaking eye contact with her sister.

"After what happened over there last night?" Maggie hissed. "Are you insane?"

"After their daddy was almost killed protectin' the rest of us you mean? I'm safer with Merle and Daryl than I would be with Glen, Maggie. If you was smart then you'd be askin' them to let you stay too. No offense Glen." Beth added sweetly.

Glen chuckled and shook his head at her. "None taken, Beth." He glanced at Merle. "I'm really sorry to hear about your dad. I hope he's alright."

Merle was a little stunned at that but he managed to nod at the boy. "Thanks."

"You've gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me." Daryl groaned.

Merle looked over at him and then followed his gaze. His blood turned to ice in his veins and he tightened his hold on Beth's hand. Jenna had just walked out onto the patio, holding a coffee in one hand and some man's hand in the other. When the man looked up Merle recognized him.

"Little brother, please tell me your mama ain't fuckin' the goddamn mayor." Merle whispered.

He was trying. He was trying really hard to be the man he needed to be but just looking at that bitch made him want to go shoot up as much as he could. He had even managed to keep his head straight while Buck was lying in his own blood. He had fought off the urge to lose himself in the drugs. He'd wanted to be strong for his brother and for Carol. But just breathing the same air as that woman seemed to cause him to become a person he didn't want to. Not anymore.

There wasn't any words to describe how much he hated the woman. He hated her because she made him hate himself. Made him feel worthless. He was invisible to her. He always had been. All he could do was hope like hell that she was the next one they found in some back ally somewhere. He felt a soft hand on the side of his rigid face and then Beth was forcing him to look at her.

When his eyes met hers a little bit of that rage simmered. When she smiled at him it almost went away completely. "Don't." She whispered. "Don't let her cause you to look that way."

He bit the inside of his lip and focused on her eyes. He had told her a little bit about Jenna. Not much. Mostly just that he hated the woman. She must have been able to read between the lines pretty well.

"Will you walk with me?" She asked.

He nodded and stood up, not even giving Jenna a second glance.

"Maggie, stay here. I'll be back in a bit." She called over her shoulder.

She didn't wait for her sister to say anything. She just led him off quickly, not giving him a chance to change his mind. They were nearly a block away before she stopped. She moved so she was standing in front of him. There were quite a few people watching them carefully. Merle was used to that. People kept a closer eye on him than they did his brother.

"Are you alright?" She asked after searching his face.

He nodded. "Just fine, darlin'. He said but there was a sadness in his voice that even he could hear.

She narrowed her eyes. "Merle, I heard a lot of things about you. You and your family. But that ain't what I see when I'm with you. You're funny and your honest. I'm sure you ain't no angel but you need to know that you ain't no monster either. You do know that, right?" There was so much concern there in her face that he was having trouble finding a sarcastic remark to hide behind.

He cleared his throat. "I know that."

She nodded. "Good. Cause you're a good man. You deserve a lot more than you've been handed."

He frowned. He really wasn't following where this girl was going.

"I ain't sayin' any of this right." She said as she shook her head. She looked frustrated as she glanced up at him. He figured maybe he should tell her she was doing just fine, even though he really didn't know what the hell she was talking about.

"You're doin' alright." He lied.

"If I was then you wouldn't still have that look on your face." She frowned and then reached up, putting both hands on the sides of his face and then pulled him towards her.

He was about to ask her what the hell she was doing but then he felt her lips on his. It was quick. He barely had time to get his bearings and kiss her back before she pulled her face away and dropped her hands. They both stood there, staring at each other while other people stared at them.

"What was that for?" he finally asked once he found his voice. She had surprised him. It was a bold move for a girl like her. Not to mention the fact that it was making his stomach do a lot of weird shit. He'd been kissed by a lot of women but never like that. That was... sweet.

"I don't know. It just seemed like the thing to do." Her face was turning red and he couldn't help but grin at her.

She took a deep breath and then took his hand again and started walking once more. All thoughts of Jenna were gone for the moment as he scratched his head and glanced around nervously.

"Let'em stare, Merle." She muttered.

She hadn't looked at him again so he didn't even know how the hell she knew he was worried about it. He didn't give a shit what most of these people thought of him but he couldn't stand the thought of this girl getting shit because she was with him.


	36. Chapter 36

**Good morning! Here is another chapter that gives you a better look into things. I hope it does anyway. This one was difficult to start but then I flew through it after I got going. Those are my favorites for some reason. Thank you for reading and for all your awesome reviews. You are all beyond great! We are slowly getting there. **

**How many of you would be interested in seeing how Buck would do in a ZA setting? I'm really thinking about an after the outbreak sequel to this story. I have a lot of ideas. **

**Hope you like this chapter! Have a great day!**

Chapter Thirty Six

Daryl glared into his coffee cup. He hadn't looked up for a while. He didn't need this right now. Wasn't shit bad enough as it was? Why the hell did she have to show her face and complicate things even more? He was glad Beth had dragged Merle out of there. At least he wasn't going to have to deal with her shit.

He felt Carol's hand high up on his thigh. He turned his head and she was staring at him intently. "Don't." She whispered. She was frowning, her face full of worry. He took a deep breath and then offered her a weak smile.

"You move that hand up any further and we're gonna have some serious problems." he narrowed his eyes.

She laughed softly into his shoulder. It was a soothing sound but it was followed by one that grated on his nerves.

"Well, what are the odds of this? I thought for sure that you would be sitting by daddy dearests bedside right now."

He looked up, making sure he kept his face clear of any anger. He knew what she was doing. She was pissed because he hadn't jumped for joy at her sudden appearance. Buck had always told him that she was crazy. He hadn't believed him. He was starting to believe him now.

"He's just fine. It'd take a lot more than some pussy with a knife to take him out." Daryl said, keeping his voice level.

Philip seemed to flinch a little at Daryl's sudden lack of tact. Jenna glared at him. Carol kept her hand on his thigh. She looked as though she was having just as hard of a time as he was at keeping her expression neutral. He doubted anyone else could see the struggle she was having with maintaining it. But he could see it.

"Carol, how are you?" Philip asked suddenly as though he just realized she was sitting there.

Daryl didn't know why the sound of her name on that man's lips had his eyes narrowing and his anger rising but it did.

"Do you mind if we sit with the two of you? This is a real strange coincidence." Philip smiled and pulled out a chair before anyone had a chance to answer him. Jenna sat down too, unfortunately right next to Daryl.

She smiled at him and then went to brush his hair back from his forehead. He flinched away from her touch. Her smile dropped a little and she shook her head slightly but she wasn't one to be kept down for long.

"So, how do you two know one another?" Carol asked, keeping her voice polite. She was looking right at Jenna.

Philip laughed. "Well, we actually ran into one another a few months back. Quite literally really. I was in a hurry, coming out of the post office and slammed right into Jenna here." He chuckled. "I knocked her down. I felt like a real idiot but I can't say that I'm sorry about that. We've been quite good friends since then."

"Jenna don't have friends." Daryl said vaguely. "You ain't givin' her money are ya?" He kept his reeling emotions in check. Months ago? How the fuck could they have ran into one another months ago? Had she been here this whole time? How different would their reunion have been if she had showed up at him and Merle's apartment instead of on Carol's doorstep?

"Jesus, Daryl. What is with you?" Jenna asked, seeming to be offended for the Mayors sake. "I know you're upset about your father but that doesn't mean you have to take it out on me."

"So... er... Carol? Are you alright after what happened last night? I was informed this morning that this has drawn in the FBI. It's obvious that whoever this is isn't planning on stopping any time soon." Philip looked uncomfortable at witnessing this small drama. He was rambling about things he probably shouldn't be rambling about with common people.

"I'm fine, thank you." Carol said and then busied herself with stirring her coffee.

Just then Philip's phone rang. He looked at the screen and then held up one finger. "I'm sorry. If you all will excuse me, I have to take this."

Daryl felt relieved that the man was leaving their table. He wished Jenna would go with him. No such luck.

Once Philip was out of sight Jenna was glaring at him once more. "So this is how you're gonna be now? You spend, what, a week with that son of a bitch and now I'm the bad guy? I knew you had some real bad daddy issues, Daryl, but I had no idea that they were this bad."

"Is there a point to you being here other than to make everyone miserable?" Carol snapped.

Oh God.

Jenna tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the table top and studied Carol like she was looking at a particularly disgusting insect. "Do you have any idea who you're talking too, little girl? You can't. If you did then you would know to keep your mouth shut. Don't think for a minute that fucking my son makes your opinion on anything that has to do with my family valid. You got that?"

"Watch your fuckin' mouth Jenna." Daryl said in a low voice.

"You're being serious, aren't you?" Jenna laughed but it was devoid of humor. She leaned into her chair and watched him. "You've got it bad don't you, son?" She leaned towards him then, brushing a hand down his arm. "You need to watch _your_ mouth. Unless, of course, you want me to take away everything that means anything to you now. Remember that I can do that." She smirked and he hated the fact that he looked so much like her just then.

"What the hell are you talkin' about?" He asked angrily, keeping his voice low.

"Ed Peletier." The smirk never left her face.

Daryl felt Carol's hand tighten on his leg and he felt like someone had opened up a trap door. His stomach was in his throat.

"What about him?" It was Carol who finally spoke.

"Well, all the signs to these murders point to him. That's who everyone is spending their time looking for. But thanks to your princess here and that brother of yours, they aren't going to find him, are they?" She was only speaking to Daryl and her voice was a whisper but to him she may as well have been yelling those words at the top of her lungs.

He glanced around nervously. Ed had been pushed to the back of his mind after everything that had happened. He didn't know how she could have known about that. But the answer came to him quick. She'd been watching him. "Why did you come back here? Why the fuck did you hide?"

"I had some unfinished business here. That's all you need to know. And I wanted to see you." She leaned back once more. "And then right when I was ready to head my ass home, all hell breaks loose. You run into miss priss over here, Buck gets out of prison, Ed turns up missing, people start _dying_. You know, I always thought this little town was about the dullest place on the map." She shook her head. "But it's gotten really interesting."

"What the fuck, Jenna. You're creepin' around spyin' on us? On me? You know how crazy that is, right? And you weren't plannin' on showin' your face at all?" Daryl was trying to change the subject. She had seen it, what had happened to Ed. She didn't know exactly what had happened to her ex lovers son but she knew he had walked into that house and never walked back out again. She had known Merle was there with Carol and she had known that Buck showed up. Hell, she probably knew exactly what had happened after Buck and Merle had left.

"No. I wasn't planning on dropping in and saying hello, if that's what you mean. You seemed to be doing just fine without me."

The sad truth was, Daryl knew that she didn't see anything wrong with that. Abandoning them. Leaving them with Buck. Treating Merle like a dog when she was around. Cheating. Lying. None of that was her fault in her own eyes. She was innocent. She was one heartless soulless bitch.

"What do you want?" he asked after no one else said anything.

She shrugged. "Who says I want anything?"

Daryl had never wanted to hit a woman so bad in his life. "What are you doin' with the goddamn Mayor?"

She pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her purse and lit one before she answered. "I really did just run into the man one day. After I found out who he was and how fucking needy he could be I decided to do the right thing and make nice with him. It comes in real handy when you have friends in high places."

"You're fuckin' the Mayor?" Daryl thought he was going to be sick.

She scoffed. "Are you serious? That guy has more issues than even I know how to handle. I just like to keep him close. I'm his_ friend_, Daryl." Her eyes fell on Carol then. "You know, not all women are like yours. We don't move a man in the day we meet'em." She winked.

Daryl glared at her but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. She held all the cards for the moment. One wrong move on his part and he lost everything. Carol, once more, broke the silence.

"So you're just waiting to see who else is going to get killed?" There was no anger in her tone. She was actually curious and Daryl had to admit that he was too.

Jenna blew out a thin stream of smoke and then smiled, glad that Carol was on board with playing her game by wordlessly taking her shit. "I'm curious to find out who this is, actually.

"You're trying to find out who the killer is?" Carol asked, sounding nothing but curious. "How?"

Jenna nodded. "It all revolves around you, sweetheart." She studied Carol, no longer with a look of disgust. "And if someone is after you, then my son is at risk. I'm a cold bitch, but even I got myself a bit of a weak spot when it comes to our boy here."

"What do you mean they revolve around me?" Carol asked quietly as she unconsciously brought her face closer to Jenna's over the table.

Jenna reached out and twirled a finger around a lock of Carol's hair. Jenna smiled when Carol and Daryl both tensed at the same time. "I haven't put it all together yet. But I will."

"And then what?" Carol whispered. She looked like she was damn near hypnotized. He knew how that felt. Jenna was one of the most manipulating creatures walking the earth. Reeling people in was easy for her.

"And then," She winked once more and continued to twirl Carol's hair around her finger, "We make sure our boy is safe and sound, sugar. He can hate me all he wants. You all can, but I'm a pretty good ally when it comes to this shit."

"Is everything alright?" Philip asked as he pulled out his chair.

Jenna smiled at him and moved away from Carol. "I think everything is just fine now.

Daryl took Carol's hand under the table and squeezed it gently. He wasn't sure exactly what it was that Jenna was up too. He was sure that there was more too it than simply keeping him safe. She never cared about his safety before. Sure, she had gotten in Buck's path more than once to save his ass but that had never been about her love for her child. Jenna never did anything that didn't benefit herself.

The only thing that he was absolutely sure of was the fact that things just got a lot more complicated for the Dixon clan.

~H~

Merle had damn near forgotten that Jenna was even there until he walked out and saw Carol and his brother stand up like they were finally ready to leave. Jenna and the Mayor were sitting at their table. He was afraid that she was going to suck Daryl into her web again. The woman could do it easily enough if Daryl let his guard down for one minute. Hopefully that hadn't happened.

Maggie and Glen had their heads together, smiling about something until Maggie looked up and saw them walking towards their table. Glen waved and then glanced at Maggie, rolled his eyes and bumped her with his shoulder.

"You ready to go?" Daryl asked as soon as him and Beth made their way over to them.

Merle nodded, refusing once more to even look at the woman in the chair next to where he was standing. Beth's fingers tightened in his.

Maggie forced a smile. "You want to hang out a little before you go back to the Dixons?" She asked, looking like she really did hope her sister could spend some time with her.

Beth looked up at him then. "You'll be home later?"

"Gotta go see my dad sometime." Merle muttered.

"So do we." Maggie chimed in. "Why don't we just all meet up there at the hospital at six?"

Beth and Merle both looked at her, their eyes widening before looking back at one another. Beth smiled. "That sound alright?"

He nodded again.

"Bring your bike?" She asked, her smile turning playful.

"Yeah." He wasn't sure what he was suppose to do now. Daryl looked like he was beyond ready to go. Carol was staring at them, he could see her from the corner of his eye. Maggie and Glen were even looking and he wasn't sure what to do. She still had a hold of his hand. She was still looking up at him. Was he suppose to kiss her? What the fuck were the goddamn rules to this shit? He needed to research good girls or something.

"Bye Merle." She reached up and pecked him on the lips once more and then dropped his hand and sat down across from her sister.

"Bye Beth." He muttered as he followed Daryl back out onto the sidewalk. He stopped in his tracks and then turned, not able to believe that he had forgotten to remind her.

Maggie inclined her head towards him and Beth turned around in her chair. He knelt down next to her. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Don't go home, alright? Stay away from the farm and don't fuckin' talk to anybody that you don't know. And if ya need me then call Carol's phone." He almost expected her to laugh at him. He was being paranoid and he knew it but he had to make sure she was going to be careful.

But he should have known she wouldn't laugh. Her eyes were large and serious as she nodded. "I'll be careful."

He nodded and then walked away, feeling a little better about leaving her now.

~H~

"Buck looked at his lunch trey in disgust. He wanted to call Carol and have her bring him something that didn't look like slop. He's passed on his last dose of meds, needing to keep his head clear so he could think. There just seemed to be a lot of shit to think about. Too much shit to think about. He almost wanted to just take a fucking nap. Like some sick old man in a nursing home. That's what he'd do. He'd eat his goddamn Jell-o and then he would take a nap and when he woke up he would be able to think a little more clearly.

Someone tapped on his door as soon as he put a spoonful of the nasty shit in his mouth. He'd always hated Jell-o. Too him it felt like he was eating frog eggs with sugar in it. And this shit was even worse cause it was sugar free. He made a face just as the door opened. His eyebrows shot up.

"I come in peace." Andrea said as she held up a white bag.

"Is that from the diner?" He asked, feeling his stomach rumble at the prospect.

She nodded, smiling. "Figured a man like you wouldn't be too fond of the institutional menu."

He rolled his eyes. "Did you poison it?"

"Did someone poison that Jell-o? Cause that is quite a face you're making there, Dixon." She sat down in the chair and handed over the bag.

He opened it up eagerly and pulled out what he was hoping was a cheeseburger. "Jesus Christ, woman. I think I could even look past your high society bitchiness for this. I owe ya one."

Sure enough she had brought him burgers. He thought maybe he was in love. With the food, not the blonde.

"I'll try to forget you said that." She said dryly. "I couldn't decide what to get you. Get well balloons, flowers, a card. I opted for beef. Thought it would be more appreciated."

"Damn straight, darlin'." He said around a mouth full of food.

"You look really ridiculous in that nightgown, Buck." She grinned as she reached into his bag and pulled out some fries.

He snorted and then glared at her. "Bastards wouldn't give me my goddamn pants back. But hey, I'm naked under here if you're interested."

"You're disgusting." She grumbled and rolled her eyes.

He shrugged. "Just as well I suppose. It would probably scare ya to death."

She was looking away towards the door and tried to stuff a fry in her mouth to hide her laughter. "What would? Your awful knife wounds or your dick?"

He choked. The crazy bitch was trying to kill him. He had to cough to dislodge the food from his throat and that caused a lot of pain.

"Oh shit, Buck. I'm sorry." She looked like she really was. She moved from the chair to the edge of his bed. She moved the table away and leaned over him, snatching her drink from the bedside table where she had sat it when she came in, offering him a drink. He took it and sucked on the straw greedily.

He finally handed her the cup back and settled back against the raised mattress. "That fuckin' hurt." He grumbled.

She tried to hide a smile. "I really am sorry."

"I can tell." He muttered

"So, how are you feeling, other than the damage I just did, of course?" She asked. He took note of the fact that she was still sitting on the edge of the bed and not the chair.

"Like shit." He said dryly.

"Is there anything I can do?" She asked as her eyes met his.

Was this chick for real? He wasn't sure if there was a double meaning to her words or not but she hadn't moved still, she still had her body facing him and her hand on the other side of him, holding up most of her weight. Until she ran that hand up his thigh, over the blanket.

That angry kiss from the night before flashed in his mind and then his hand was in her hair, yanking her face towards his roughly. She scooted up further so she wasn't leaning over him so much, sliding that brave hand the rest of the way up his leg until she felt him right under her fingertips. He was over eager. He hadn't been with a woman for a lot of years. Especially one that seemed to know exactly what to do with her hands.

She ran her fingers over the length of him and then pulled her mouth away, eyes wide. "Are you serious?" She breathed.

He shrugged. "Can't be helped, darlin'. I'm a big man."

He pulled her face forward again and then slipped his hand up the back of her shirt. It had been a long time since he had felt skin that soft and he felt like a fucking virgin as he groaned into her mouth. He hadn't been kissed like that in long time either. He lost his head in the feel of her and pulled her against him, instantly he dropped his hand and pulled his mouth away, hissing in pain.

"Shit. Are you okay?" She pulled back, further than he would have liked.

He sighed and then looked down at the hand that wasn't quite wrapped around him and then looked back up. She moved the hand away.

"I think I'm gonna go ahead and go." She whispered.

"I think once I get outta here we should think about fuckin'." He winked.

"You're disgusting." She said again, like blaming him made her feel better.

"And you're a dick tease."

Just then someone else tapped on the door and then a bored looking doctor came into the room holding a clip board.

"Hey, Jim." Andrea said as she moved from the bed back to the chair.

Buck had to shift around a bit so the doctor wouldn't look down and see the raging hard on that she was planning on leaving him with.

"Hello, Andrea." The doctor said without looking up from the paperwork. "Well, Mr. Dixon. I'm Dr. Rothenberg. Looks like you're a lucky man." He finally glanced at Buck.

"Sure am. Getting' flayed like a fuckin' trout was always a dream of mine." Buck grumbled. Was this guy a fucking idiot?

"I just meant that it could have been a lot worse." He said dully.

"I suppose." Buck said as he rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.

"I'm going to have to ask you to go ahead and lower the front of that gown so I can take a look. Make sure everything is still clean."

Buck leaned up, glancing towards Andrea who didn't look like she was in the mood to go anywhere anymore. He dropped the front of the hospital gown and then laced his hands behind his head while the doctor unwound the gauze from around his chest and midsection. He kept his eyes on Andrea as she looked on in fascination. When he was finally exposed she covered her mouth and then brought her eyes up to meet his.

Even the doctor let out a low whistle. "Lucky indeed." He muttered.

Buck knew what they were seeing already. They had used dissolvable stitches on the inside and staples on the outside. Two long deep gashes formed an X on his torso. When it all heeled up it was going to leave one wicked fucked up scar.

The doctor cleaned him up and then rewrapped him. Without a word he left them alone once more.

"I didn't realize it was that bad." She said in a quiet voice. "You really could have died."

"It'd take a lot more than some pussy with a knife to kill me, darlin'." He rasped as he laid back once more.

"Good." She said, and sounded like she actually meant it.


	37. Chapter 37

**I really have to apologize for this chapter. It's a filler and it basically sucks! I restarted it a bunch of times but the end result was always the same. It's also pretty short. I think this was one of those nights that I should have taken a break but I really hate doing that! I may take tomorrow night off so I can organize these ideas and then Sunday I can totally make up for this one! On the plus side, there is a little bit of smut. That always helps =) Plus, at least it is something to read. Thanks for reading! Hope you all have a great weekend and stay safe!**

Chapter Thirty Seven

It had been three days and they were just now releasing Buck from the hospital. Buck had been pissed but Carol had talked him into staying anyway. Her and Daryl were able to return to work, which was a big relief for both of them. Not just because they were nearly completely broke but because working made it easier to keep their minds off of the mess they were in.

"He's gonna be pissed when he finds out that you moved him to that little guest room downstairs." Daryl said as he drove the car all the way up the driveway and parked it next to the garage.

"He doesn't need to go up and down the stairs. He has everything he needs down there." She muttered.

"Everything but his dignity." Daryl chuckled.

She glanced over at him and smirked. "He'll get over it." And she knew that he would. He'd just grumble and growl a lot but he would secretly thank her in the long run.

It had been another hot day and Daryl was a sweaty mess. He hadn't bothered putting his shirt back on and he was very distracting this way. Neither one of them bothered to get out of the car right away. She was staring at his chest when his hand snaked out, wrapping around her wrist and then yanked her to him.

She didn't hesitate to bring her leg over his lap until she was straddling him. She hit the horn with her ass on accident, causing them both to laugh. She'd worn a skirt, which was rare but decidedly convenient at times like these. They hadn't had a chance to really be alone with one another. Between taking care of Merle at night, working and running back and forth to the hospital to make sure Buck was properly fed, by the time they had a minute alone they were both asleep as soon as their heads touched the pillow.

"I think Merle is almost all the way better." She muttered as his hands pushed the skirt up to her hips.

He huffed. "Don't mount me in the car and then start talkin' about Merle. It's a real turn off." He pulled her face down and caught her bottom lip between his teeth.

His lips were salty and it caused her head to spin. "Can't tell from where I'm sitting." She breathed into his neck as he gripped her hips and then shifted under her. When she felt his hand slide up between her thighs her breath hitched. "Daryl, we got a lot of stuff to do. We have to go pick Buck up and we have too... and it's still light outside and... She kissed him slow and deep as his thumb worked in a quick tight circle over her panties.

"We got time. I'll make it quick." He grinned against her lips and then he increased his speed.

"Daryl..." His name slipped out of her mouth as a whimper when she was suddenly gripping his shoulders as hard as she could to keep her body from shuddering over his as she vaguely hoped that no one saw them. She caught his lips with hers and then moaned quietly into his mouth. When it was finally over she put her forehead to his.

He was grinning like a cat and breathing heavily.

"Was this why you parked way back here next to the garage?" She asked suspiciously.

"That?" He frowned and shook his head. "I parked way back here for this." In one quick motion his hands went to her hip and ripped the waistband of her panties. He did the same thing with the other side, slid the garment away from her and tossed it over his shoulder into the back seat.

"You can't be serious." She whispered.

He nodded. "It's been days. I'm dyin' here."

She glanced around but she was almost sure no one could see them. She had him unbuttoned and freed from his jeans quickly. She'd learned a whole lot in the time she had been with him. They both had. But she hadn't ever done anything like this and she wasn't sure how to go about it. He guided her hips over him and then licked his lips as she sank down slowly. She kissed him greedily then, reveling in the feel of him.

He urged her hips in a back and forth motion. It didn't take her long to find a rhythm that had him panting. She was driving herself to that edge and it was an empowering feeling. She was in control here. She set the pace and she decided how and when to move. She bit into the tender skin below his ear gently, causing him to hiss and then the grip he had on her hips became tighter.

His body tensed and he tangled his hand into her hair, pulling her towards him right before she cried out, kissing her roughly as he growled low in his throat as he followed her. She kept kissing him as she slowed her pace and then finally stopped. She raised back up on her knees long enough for him to put himself back into his pants and then she sat right back down and was kissing him again. When she pulled away she was glaring at him.

"I really liked those underwear." She hid a smile.

He nodded sagely, still breathing heavily. "I did too. But it was worth the sacrifice. Even if it was just a quicky." He chuckled and leaned his head back into the headrest.

"Hmm. I agree." She grinned and then they both jumped when they heard a loud bang.

Merle came around the side of the garage, Beth in tow. They had been inseparable for the last few days. Even with Hershel home and ready to shoot anyone that came into his house uninvited, Beth still stayed with them. She slept in Buck's bed, of course. Merle still had demons to fight at night. Demons that Beth still didn't know about as far as Carol knew.

"The fuck y'all doin' in there? You best not be dirtyin' up the damn front seat! I gotta drive that car too, ya know." He yelled as he came around and glared into the open window.

Carol was still straddling Daryl but at least he was covered up now. "I can do whatever I want in or on this car, Merle. It's my car."

Merle frowned as he glanced between the two. Daryl was looking straight ahead, chewing the inside of his lip. "You didn't?" Merle grumbled.

Daryl glanced at him and shook his head. His face reddening slightly. "Course not, dumb ass."

Merle narrowed his eyes and then stormed off without another word. Beth glanced back and laughed and then hurried after him. Carol was really glad Beth was sticking around. She was good for Merle. She was just good period. She enjoyed Beth's company. She was quiet and reserved but inside she was a really strong girl. Merle needed someone like that. And if he didn't have Beth then it was hard telling what kind of women he would be bringing into their house.

"He knows." Daryl laughed as they climbed out of the car.

Carol shrugged and pulled him towards the house. "He always knows."

After they both took a quick shower and changed it was finally time to go to the hospital. They didn't talk much on the way there. They hadn't talked about anything major in days. They didn't bring up Jenna knowing about Ed. They didn't bring up the killer and they didn't talk about Daryl looking for the guy. They didn't even talk about how they were ever going to come up with the money to pay Buck's hospital bills.

Instead they talked about how fast the bills and the mortgage were going to get caught up. They talked about the bike Merle was putting together in the garage. They talked about the weather and they talked about Beth. They talked about Merle needing barely any drugs to function and they talked about how last night he had barely even suffered through any cold sweats.

Their problems were far from over but they both silently agreed to take today and push them to the back of their minds. At least for a little while. Today was a good day. Buck was going to get to come home. She found it strange how much they all missed him. And how much he obviously missed them. He even called and talked to everyone even though they were there several times a day to see him. She thought it was sweet.

When they pulled into the parking lot Daryl cursed under his breath. Jenna had just came out of the hospital entrance talking to a man. Carol squinted to see if she could recognize the person with her but she couldn't.

"Let's go. I hope she ain't been in there fuckin' with my dad." Daryl grumbled.

Carol couldn't help but smile. He glanced over at her, his frown deepening. "What the hell ya got to smile about?"

"You've called Buck your dad a lot lately." She said as she climbed out of the car.

Daryl looked confused for a second. "I didn't realize it." He said as she came around and took his hand.

"It's really sweet." She grinned and then leaned into his side.

He snorted.

Jenna looked up as she saw them approaching. She said a few more words to the man in the lab coat and then strolled towards them, smiling, of course. "You know, if the two of you looked any sweeter together I would have to go get my fuckin' sugar checked." She said as she looked from Carol back to Daryl.

"What the fuck are you doin' here?" Daryl growled as his grip on Carol's hand became almost painful.

"Don't worry, Daryl. I wasn't here to bother your Papa Bear. Even though, since he's still my husband, I could do that if I really wanted too."

"Have you found out anything new?" Carol asked suddenly. She didn't know why she trusted the woman but she did believe that Jenna would come through and figure something out on her own as far as the killer went. After spying on them without them even knowing it she seemed like the type that was covert enough, anyway.

"See son, take some pointers from your girlfriend here. No need in coming right out and acting like an asshole." She looked at Carol. "And no. But I'm getting there." She winked.

Daryl looked down at her. "You ready? We're late."

Just then the doors opened again and out stepped Buck and Andrea. He was upright but there was stiffness to his walk. Andrea stayed close to his side, probably in case he needed the support. He spotted them first and offered her a smile. When his eyes slid to Jenna, however, that smile turned into a cold look. Andrea glanced up at him and then to Jenna. His step didn't falter. He made his way over to them.

"Y'all are late. Good thing blondie was here or they wouldn't have let me leave." He said as he kept his eyes on his son.

Jenna gave Andrea the once over and then rolled her eyes. "She's a little young for you, don't you think?" She said in an icy tone.

Andrea narrowed her eyes but before she could say anything Buck was talking. "Ain't any of your business, Jenna. Worry more about who you open your legs for and not what I'm doin'. I'm sure that advice woulda saved ya quite a few trips to the doctor if I'd have given it to ya sooner."

Jenna turned back to Daryl. "I'll see ya around." She muttered as she stormed off towards her SUV.

"Who the hell was that?" Andrea glared after Jenna's retreating figure.

"A bitch."Daryl grumbled.

"The fuckin' Devil." Buck growled.

"That was Daryl and Merle's mom." Carol offered helpfully.

Andrea looked up at Buck and then back to Jenna who was just pulling away. "It's good to see your taste in women has improved over the years." She muttered.

"What the fuck was she doin' here, anyway?" Buck asked as he glanced from Daryl's face back to Carol's.

They hadn't told Buck much since he had been in the hospital. Daryl didn't want to stress him out and neither did she. They were going to have a lot to talk about once he got home. But they couldn't say much in front of Merle and Beth either. That was something they agreed on. If Merle knew that Jenna was in on their dirty family secret then that could send him backtracking and Carol wasn't going to let that happen.

They both shrugged instead of answering his question.

"Well, I'm going to take off, go see Dale for a while. I'll stop by later, see how you're doing." Andrea said.

Carol was openly gaping at them as Andrea ran her hand down Buck's forearm. Buck smirked and then nodded. "Ya better."

Andrea rolled her eyes and then waved at her and Daryl.

Buck threw his arm over Carol's shoulder as they made their way to the car. She was careful as she wrapped her own around his waist. She was happy that he was coming home. She had missed him terribly.

~H~

Merle was distracted. He needed to be working on the new bike but his head wasn't in it and that wasn't a job for anyone to do half assed. Instead he was leaning against the workbench. Beth was perched on Carol's usual spot, her legs swinging back and forth. She was confusing. He didn't know what the hell to think when it came to him and her. She hadn't kissed him again since the other day at the cafe. He didn't know if that meant that she was going to wait for him to kiss her or if that meant that she didn't care much for kissing him and she was over it. She was still always with him. He figured that was a pretty good sign.

"So, is your sister still tryin' to warn ya away from the big bad Dixons or what?" He asked as he glanced at her.

She smiled. "No. She got over I think. It helps that Glen tries to make her feel better about y'all. He assured her we weren't over here getting drunk and havin' sex. Maggie just worries about me. I'm always gonna be a kid to her." She shrugged.

Merle laughed. "I feel the same way about my brother. He's more grown up than I'll ever be but I think I'll always see a kid when I look at him. It don't help that he still looks like one."

Beth sighed and stared off towards the open garage doors. "Are ya happy your daddy gets to come home?"

Merle turned around so his forearms were leaning against the bench. "Actually yeah." He smiled and shook his head. "Me and Buck, we've always been pretty close. It was always Daryl that hated him."

Beth frowned. "Really? But he was so upset that night. He was scared to death that Buck was gonna die."

Merle nodded. "I said _hated_, darlin'. They cleared the air. My baby brother and my daddy are good now. It just took a while is all."

"Are you a drug addict, Merle?" She asked, catching him completely off guard. Where the hell had that come from?

"I...uh... I was. I'm better now. Why the fuck would you ask me that?" He asked. He didn't sound angry, not really. But he was annoyed. He thought that she had been clueless about that part of his life. Obviously he had thought wrong.

"That was one of the reasons Maggie and my daddy didn't want me around you. They thought you would turn me onto drugs. Like I wouldn't know any better." She added bitterly.

He frowned. "I wouldn't have tried to get ya on nothin' like that."

He felt her hand on the side of his face and he looked up. "What was you on?"

"Still on, Beth. Kind of, anyway." Why the fuck was he telling this girl this?

"But I thought..."

"Sometimes when you're on somethin' long enough, ya start to need it. It feels like you're dyin' if ya ain't got it. I only take enough to keep me alive. I don't take it to get fucked up. Not anymore. Pretty soon I wont need it at all. That don't mean I wont still want it sometimes. I just gotta fight it off."

"That's why you get sick at night, ain't it?" She asked quietly.

He nodded, refusing to look at her even though her hand was still on his face, urging him too.

"You're real brave, Merle. To do somethin' that hard." Her voice was low and right in his ear. "Ain't nothin' to be ashamed of."

He turned his head so their faces were only a few inches apart. "Ain't nothin' brave about bein' a junkie, darlin'."

"You ain't a junkie." She said as her eyes locked onto his.

"You don't hardly know shit about me, girl. Not a thing. You don't know the kind of shit I've done. You don't know..."

She didn't let him finish. She kissed him but it wasn't like the other few times. This was a real kiss and he kissed her back without thinking, his head instantly in a fog. Her lips were soft under his and everything in him was telling him to deepen the kiss but he couldn't bring himself to do it. This wasn't any other woman. This was Beth and he wasn't sure how it happened but Beth mattered. If she wanted a deeper kiss then she'd have to let him know.

As if she read his mind he felt the hand she had on his face slide around to the back of his neck, and then her tongue was gliding across his lower lip. He decided to go ahead and take that as a sign. She was hesitant at first, which made him think that maybe she wasn't all that experienced when it came to kissing but it only took her a few seconds to sink into it. But once she was into it she was really into it.

He finally pulled back from her once her other arm went around his neck and she was pressing the top half of herself against him. He had to keep reminding himself that this was Beth and he needed to stop. That didn't mean he had to like being the one to stop it.

She looked at him with wide eyes.

Before either of them could say anything they heard Carol's car pull into the driveway. Buck grinned. "Buck's back."

Beth hopped down from the bench and grabbed his hand, hurrying towards the back door. "I gotta see the look on his face when he finds out Carol gave him the guest room." She laughed.

Merle shook his head and hid a grin of his own. Pissed off Buck wasn't going to be very scary for a while but that didn't matter. This time he was going to be pissed off at Carol, which Merle had been dying to see himself.

**See! I told ya! I promise the next one will be better! Thanks again for reading =)**


	38. Chapter 38

**That was an awesome break. I did laundry. Go me! I'm really glad that none of you hated that last chapter as much as I did. I'm happy with this one though! Thank you all so much for all of the reviews and favorites and follows! And for those of you that don't do any of that but still read, thank you for reading! Enjoy your Sunday! **

Chapter Thirty Eight

Daryl pulled into the driveway for the second time today. He was trying extra hard to keep a straight face but it was really hard with Buck sulking in the back seat and Carol sitting in the passenger seat, red faced and throwing an occasional glare in his direction. He got out and waited for Buck to get out, keeping close to him. Buck was glaring at him too.

As soon as Buck got into the back seat he had found the ripped panties sitting right out in the open. He had instantly started yelling at Daryl and then at Carol. He yelled at Daryl because apparently Daryl was some sort of sick pervert and then he yelled at Carol because she should know better than to do something like that. And then he yelled at them both because apparently he just knew that it had happened recently.

"Quit fuckin' hoverin' over me, goddamn it." He grumbled as he headed towards the front steps. Daryl kept close whether Buck wanted him too or not.

Daryl smirked. "Carol moved ya to the guest room, Buck. She figured the stairs woulda been too hard on ya."

Carol shot him a look that told him that the action in the car earlier was the last he would be seeing for a while if he didn't shut up.

Buck stopped at the bottom step and turned his head slowly to look at her. "You did what?" He muttered. He narrowed his eyes at her.

Her lips formed a thin hard line as she looked at Daryl. Yeah, he wasn't getting laid for a while after this one. When her eyes met Bucks she smiled slightly and her eyes went incredibly wide. "I want you to be comfortable, Buck. You'll have everything you need down there. It's close to the kitchen and the bathroom and you wont have to go up and down the stairs."

"Don't be doe eyin' me, baby girl. I'll be just fine in my own goddamn room. I ain't some pussy and I ain't a cripple. I can take the stairs just fine."

"She done moved all your shit." Daryl offered as he still hovered behind Buck.

"Carol..." Buck growled.

"You know what, fine." She crossed her arms over her chest, her chin lifting and eyes flashing. "I'll put all your things right back upstairs, Buck. And when something happens and you fall down those stairs and break your stubborn neck then I'm sure we'll all be just fine." She blinked, her eyes tearing up suddenly. Daryl actually felt bad for fucking with her like that. He didn't know she would cry.

Buck sighed and then grabbed her wrist and pulled her gently into his side. She wrapped one arm around his waist. "You're right, darlin'. I best stay downstairs until I get my ass healed up." He grumbled but gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

She sniffled. "Are you sure? I don't want you to feel like I'm trying to treat you like some baby."

"I'm sure." He kept his arm around her as they started up the front steps.

Daryl couldn't believe Buck was such a pushover. Carol looked down at him over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes at him and then smirked. He glared. He had really been looking forward to Buck laying into her over switching his room. She'd just manipulated the shit outta the big dumb asshole. And she was going to rub it in too. And to think he had just been feeling bad about setting her up to face Buck's wrath. He shook his head.

Merle and Beth met them in the foyer. Merle was grinning like an idiot and Beth was blushing. "Glad you're home, old man." Buck said happily.

Buck clapped him on the shoulder. "Glad to be home, boy. You know your brother was fuckin' in the car? Ya best start keepin' an eye on him."

Merle glared at Daryl. "I knew it! What the fuck is wrong with you, ya jackass!"

"Buck was gonna fuck Andrea right on the kitchen table!" Daryl threw his arms in the air in exasperation.

"What?" Carol and Merle gasped at the same time.

Buck put his hands on his hips. "Them to were gonna fuck right there on the counter last week!" he said loudly, gesturing towards Daryl and Carol.

"I don't think I'm gonna eat over here anymore." Beth said quietly.

"Is that all you mother fuckers think about?" Merle roared. "Buck, you and Andrea hate each other."

"I don't think I wanna ride in that car again either." Beth Murmured.

Buck shrugged. "That don't mean I don't wanna fuck her."

"Oh my gosh." Beth muttered as she watched the drama unfold before her with wide eyes.

Daryl just shrugged and walked past all of them, Carol on his heels.

"You are such a jerk." She hissed as he made his way to the refrigerator.

He opened a can of coke and smirked. "How's that?" He asked lightly as he took a drink and leaned his elbows on the counter top.

"You have to stop tossing my underwear around everywhere." She huffed as she sat down in one of the bar stools across from him and crossed her arms. "He _yelled_ at me." She pouted.

"Your spoiled ass needed yelled at." Daryl rolled his eyes.

She glared. "Whatever. Me and you need to talk." Her voice took on a serious tone that instantly had his guard going up.

"We are talkin'." He said as he eyed her suspiciously.

She shook her head. "Upstairs."

Just then the rest of them came in. Buck kissed the back of her head on his way by. "What's for dinner, darlin'? I'm fuckin' starvin'."

"Whatever you want Buck. Just give us five minutes and I'll make it." Carol said with a forced smile.

"Merle, ya sure it's safe to eat in here?" Daryl heard Beth Whisper to his brother as he followed Carol out of the room. He couldn't help but chuckle as Merle glared at him. Merle deserved it. He had been doing shit like that to Daryl for years.

She didn't turn to look at him as she headed up the stairs. He was starting to get worried. He never really put much thought into her wanting them to leave anymore. After everything they had been through in the short amount of time they had known each other, if she hadn't opted out by now he doubted she was going too. She was too strong for anything like that. But he still couldn't help but worry. He hadn't learned anything from any of the people he had managed to talk too over the last few days. Merle kept hitting the same dead ends. He had started to think that maybe that crowd just flat out didn't trust the Dixons anymore. They had moved to the fucking suburbs and hung out with cops. No shit they didn't trust them anymore.

She closed the bedroom door behind her and motioned towards the bed. His eyebrows shot up and he grinned wickedly. "Hell yeah."

She rolled her eyes and forced back the smile that was threatening at the corners of her mouth. "Keep it in your pants, horn dog. You've gotten me in enough trouble with that today. Sit down."

He frowned but then sat down on the edge of the bed. She was starting to get nervous. He could tell by the way her eyes went everywhere in the room but refused to land on him for very long. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I think maybe I should try to talk to Jenna. Alone. Maybe see if she'll let me help her make sense of all of this craziness. Maybe she'll let me help her find out who is doing all of this."

Daryl's mouth went dry. There was no way. No fucking way in hell that she was going to go off with Jenna Dixon on some goddamn suicide mission. Jenna would get her killed just for the hell of it. Carol was watching him and even though he tried to keep his emotions off his face he must not have been doing a very good job because she sighed.

"I have to do what I can." She said quietly as she leaned against the dresser.

He stood up and stormed towards the door. "No." He ground out before he nearly ripped it off its hinges.

She grabbed his arm before he could leave the room. He spun around, anger radiating off of every inch of him. Anger and desperation because he knew that she would do this. Even if she said she wouldn't she would find a way to do this because he was doing almost the same thing. He had lied to her. He had told her that if he found out anything useful he would let Rick and Shane know and let them take care of the rest. In reality, if he found the son of a bitch then he was going to kill him himself, and he was going to make it hurt. For what he did to Buck. For coming into their home. For threatening everything that meant something to Daryl. The man was going to suffer for that.

She stared at him with wide eyes as she studied his face. "Daryl, I wasn't asking you."

He slammed the door so hard that he thought for sure the wood was split. "I don't care. No. You ain't getting sucked into that bitch's web. I swear to god, Carol, I'll tie your ass up and not let you go until I find the bastard myself."

"You can't just tell me no, Daryl." She said quietly.

"I just did." He ground out leaning into her face and putting as much menace in his voice as he could.

"I know what you're thinking but I'm not a child. I know she's dangerous. I can look out for myself. I really do think she can figure this out and I think I can help her."

"No." He said again, with just as much venom as before.

"Daryl, stop." She said as she took a step away from him.

He shook his head. "Are you doin' this just because you think I need a dose of my own medicine? Is this because of what I said the other day about tryin' to find the fucker?" He was desperate for her to listen to him. He shook his head. "I'll fuckin' stop, okay. Is that what ya wanna hear. I'll give it the fuck up but you ain't goin' near her."

She shook her head, eyes wide. "This isn't something I came up with just to get you to stop. I think she can help us."

"Buck don't want you near her either." He was grasping at straws.

She shook her head. "She can help." Another step away from him and she was pressed against the dresser.

"You ain't fuckin' listenin'!" He roared. "I said no. Fuck. No."

Her face changed then. Instead of the fear that he expected to see her face turned cold as stone. "You do not own me. That's something we need to get out there right now. You don't order me around and you don't tell me what I can and can't do. Who I can or can't talk too." She hissed.

He had to admit, he was proud of her for not cowering. But this wasn't the time for her to swallow down her fear and fight back. He needed something. He needed leverage. "Fine. But I'm tellin' ya right now, Carol. All this is gonna do is land Buck right back in prison."

She blinked. "What? How do you figure that?"

"Cause he's done said it. He's said it to me and he's said it to Merle. She goes near you and he's killin' her himself. You wanna be the one to cause that? Go ahead. Call the bitch up and the two of you go play detective. He'll kill her. He'll get caught. And all that will be on your head."

"He wouldn't do that. He isn't stupid, Daryl." She said softly.

He turned to walk away then. He wasn't going to listen to anymore of her bullshit reasoning. This was different than what he was doing. Jenna was a snake in the grass. She'd take out anyone she could to get what she wanted and he knew, deep down, that Carol was the one standing in the way of what Jenna wanted.

"Daryl stop." Her hand was on his arm again. He turned, glaring at her and then the hand on his arm until she dropped it. "You can't tell Buck." She said softly.

"The fuck you talkin' about? Oh, I'm tellin' Buck. I'm tellin' him right now."

"Buck don't know about most of this. Merle doesn't either. We have to keep this to ourselves. We already agreed to it."

He yanked the door open. "That's done. I'm tellin' both of'em everything. You don't leave a man much choice."

She darted around him and slammed the door back, spinning around and eying him menacingly. "No you are not! You know how stressed out that would make Merle. You know what that would do to Buck. They can't know that she knows about Ed. They can't."

He laughed and it was a cold humorless thing, even to his own ears. "They'll know now."

"Fine. I wont talk to her. Just keep your damn mouth shut." She growled as she threw open the door and stormed out before he had a chance too do it first.

He watched her storm off towards the stairs. She was lying. He could see it on her face. She had no idea what the hell she was going to be getting herself into. He'd never hurt her. Never even think about hitting her. But right then he really thought it would do her good to get bent over someones knee and have her ass busted one good time.

If she wanted to act like a bratty little kid then he should start treating her like one. He huffed and then followed her down the stairs. He was going to have to watch her like a hawk now.

~H~

Carol wanted to flog him. She couldn't believe how ridiculous he was acting. She knew that Jenna was bad news. She wasn't an idiot! But he had flew off the handle. He completely lost it over her wanting to talk to the women when it was okay for him to go off and do whatever the hell he wanted. She could handle Jenna on her own.

He was right behind her, she could feel his angry eyes boring into her back. He was always there, watching every damn thing she did. There was no way she would be able to get away from any of them long enough to talk to the woman alone. And if he was right, if Buck did something stupid because of her she would never forgive herself. Not in a million years.

She breezed into the kitchen without turning to look at him. She would talk to him as soon as he calmed down. She wished he was as easy as Buck. Buck was usually on board with anything she wanted to do. But now she had to worry about Daryl opening his big mouth and she had a feeling that no amount of crocodile tears would work on Buck this time.

"What's wrong with you?" Merle grumbled as he watched her storm into the room.

"Nothing." She said as she passed him. "Buck, did you decide what you wanted?"

Buck took one look at her and then was glaring at Daryl. "Figure we can just throw some steaks on the grill. I've been cooped up in that fuckin' place for days. I need to get some fresh air."

"Sounds good." Carol said as she hastily pulled the meat out and pushed it towards Merle. "I don't have time to marinate them or anything. I hope that's alright."

Merle snorted and pulled the packages towards him. "Shit, girl. You're talkin' to men that lived off noodles and boiled squirrel for most of their life. Who gives a shit if the damn steaks ain't marinated." he headed out the back door.

"What's wrong?" Buck asked as he eyed her with as much suspicion as Daryl had earlier.

She looked up from washing the potatoes and smiled. "Nothing. Why don't you go help Merle?"

"Did he piss you off?" Buck asked as he glanced at Daryl.

She shook her head. "No Buck. Go outside. Get your fresh air." She tried to make her smile more convincing.

He eyed them for a few long seconds and then followed Merle.

"I'm not used to seeing him move so slow." She said as Buck closed the door. She said it more to herself than to Daryl, who was the only person left in the room. She wasn't planning on talking to him at all. Not for a while anyway. He had acted like a complete asshole.

She jumped when she felt his arms slide around her waist from behind. He leaned his chin on her shoulder and pulled her back until she was pressed against the length of him. Her breathing kicked up a notch. How did he still effect her this way when she was pissed? And why did he think this was the solution to everything?

"She'll get you killed. Hell, she would try to get you killed. You know that, right?" He said quietly in her ear.

She leaned against him and turned her head slightly. "I don't think she would." She whispered.

His grip tightened. "Because you expect the rest of the world to be as good as you and that ain't how the world is. You should know that by now." He kissed the side of her neck.

"You should trust me." She said, feeling every single bit of her resolve slip away.

"I do. But I don't trust her." With that he let her go and walked towards the door. He joined the rest of them outside.

She was alone.

She quickly wrapped the potatoes in foil. Almost threw them into the oven and then rushed to the phone. Her cell phone was in Daryl's pocket. She dug the small slip of paper out of her back pocket. Jenna had pressed the paper into her hand as she had walked by her as she was leaving the hospital. Carol, knowing that it wasn't something the other woman wanted the rest of them to know about, had slipped the paper into her back pocket. She hadn't looked at it until she went into the bathroom earlier. All it had written on it was a phone number.

She dialed it quickly and pressed the phone to her ear, turning to watch the door.

"Good girl." Jenna's sultry voice answered sending a chill down Carol's spine.

"Umm... hi." Carol muttered, feeling like an idiot.

"Where are all your boys, sweetheart?" Jenna asked.

"Outside." Carol said quickly.

"Good. I need your help." Jenna said in a matter of fact tone. "I want to use you as bait."

"What?" Carol nearly dropped the phone.

"You heard me, honey. I don't like to repeat myself. Whoever this maniac is, he wants you. It may not seem very clear to everyone else but it's clear to me and it's clear to you too, isn't it?"

Carol glanced towards the door once more. "I can't do that. I can't get away from them."

"Look, Carol. I know what you think of me. I know what they've all told you. And it's probably true. I couldn't possibly give a shit less if something were to happen to you. I honestly couldn't. But, you're a smart girl. Well, you're at least not a complete moron." She corrected herself happily. "You keep yourself alive. If not then that's your problem. But I want this person gone. I wont have my son getting hurt because he wont get a clue and stay the hell away from you. So we give the guy what he wants. You."

"There's no way that would work." She swallowed hard.

"Make it work, angel. Or Buck and Merle are gonna be the ones to pay." Jenna said with a hard edge to her voice.

"Are you blackmailing me?" Carol hissed.

"That is such an ugly word." She purred. "But yes. Pretty much. I wont have Daryl getting hurt because of you. You're weakness is all of them. I need you, Carol. And you're going to help me. Just remember that you have to keep yourself alive. I'm not going to do it for you. When all of this is over then I'll leave you alone. You can live in that house with all those men and you can become a Dixon breed hound for all I care. But right now, I own you, baby. Remember that. I need you to meet me tonight."

"What? I told you already I can't get away from them. Daryl will know if I try to leave."

"You're not understanding. You meet me. Tonight. Walk out your front fucking door and I'll pick you up on the street. Wear his ass out. You want me to give you some pointers? Fuck him into a coma. I don't care what you have to do. I'll see you at eleven."

"Jesus, Jenna." Carol grimaced.

"You do this, I'll be outta your hair. It's that simple." Jenna said quietly and then she hung up.

Carol stood there looking at the phone. This wasn't going to work. There was no way this was going to work. She should have listened to Daryl. She shouldn't have called the woman. What if something happened to her? What if Jenna really was going to try to get her killed? But what choice did she have now? If she didn't go along with what Jenna wanted then Merle and Buck would end up paying for it. She couldn't let that happen. Not when it was her fault that Merle did what he did to Ed to begin with.

She grabbed her bag and ran upstairs to their room. In the nightstand drawer was the gun that Lori had loaned her. She shoved it into the bag and then zipped it shut and hung it on the bedpost. She still didn't know enough about it to be a real threat to anyone but it made her feel better anyway.

She hurried back down the stairs and into the kitchen just as the door opened and Daryl stepped in.

"What's wrong?" He frowned.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

He stared at her before crossing the room. "You're lyin'."

She shook her head. "Would you just stop? Please?" She could barely bring herself to look at him. She hated fighting with him. She hated lying to him. Could she really do this? God she was such an idiot. If something happened to her then he wouldn't forgive himself. She knew that.

He sighed and then nodded. "Fine. Truce. For now." He smirked and she tried to smile at him but felt it falter. His face grew serious and then he had his hands on her hips, his forehead pressed against hers.

She was still a little pissed at him but she couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer. He had every right to get as mad as he did. He knew that Jenna was a psycho bitch and he wanted to protect her from that. She would have acted the same way. "I'm sorry. I was an idiot."

He pulled his head back, frowning. "No you wasn't."

Now she was able to give him a small smile. "Yes I was. And you were right, I am a spoiled brat. Blame your dad."

He laughed. "I did. He says I don't know what the fuck I'm talkin' about."

She kissed him then so he wouldn't see how depressed she was becoming. He returned it greedily, backing her into the counter. For a few precious seconds she forgot about the phone call to Jenna and everything else weighing on her mind. She just concentrated on his lips. It wasn't hard to do.

~H~

Buck forced himself to remain standing, even though there were plenty of places to sit. Carol's grandpa must have been one mean griller at one time. The set up he had built was sweet. The brick patio was off to itself, behind the garage and was surrounded by a small grove of trees. There was a built in fire pit in one corner, another corner was closed off on two sides with wood plank walls and a cedar overhang and the actual grill was a goddamn monster.

He kept eying the lounge chair longingly but then he would shake off the thought. He wasn't going to get any better if all he did was lay around like a fucking pussy and he wasn't no pussy. He'd stand here all fucking day.

What he wanted to do was take his ass back in the house and figure out what the hell was going on with Daryl. Him and Carol had been acting sketchy around him for days and after their little chat upstairs he knew there was something wrong. Very wrong. But neither one of them were willing to talk. Daryl had been pretty upset when he found out that Buck hadn't been able to learn anything from Oscar. But that wasn't all. There was something else going on with the two of them.

"You think all this standing around is good for you?"

He turned his head just as Andrea came up behind him. She had a sarcastic smirk on her face that had the corner of his mouth pulling up. "You come all the way out here to play nurse? I dealt with your mouth enough, woman. Does it ever close?"

"Mmm. You'd think a man like you would appreciate a woman like me even speaking to them." She grinned.

"You have gotta be one of the most uppity, stuck up bitches I've ever had the displeasure of meetin'. And believe me, I've met a ton."

"Oh, I'm sure you have. But I'm probably the only one that's ever given you the time of day. That should count for something."

He chuckled at that and then winced.

All humor left her face then. "You okay?" She asked, her eyes raking over him worriedly.

He nodded. "Just fine, for a man that resembles Frankenstein's monster."

"He has more charm than you. You could never be Frankenstein's monster."

Buck shook his head and then busied himself with lighting the grill. Merle was suppose to help but he was giving Beth a ride to her place to get more clothes. Apparently she was the one that had stolen his room. Not that he minded much. She was a real sweet girl. He was glad Merle had somebody like her. It was good to see both his boys with girls like Carol and Beth. Even though he was pretty sure Carol was going to give him a fucking ulcer.

He threw the steaks on and then sighed as he straightened back up. This was the most physical activity he had done in days and he already felt drained. This was the first time he ever actually felt his age. This was bullshit. If he ever found the mother fucker that did this he was gonna rip the bastard in half. And he was going to do it real goddamn slow.

He felt a hand at his back and looked down.

"You look like shit, Dixon. You wanna sit with me for a minute?" Andrea asked, searching his face.

He rolled his eyes and gestured towards the enclosed space. There was some comfortable looking furniture under there. He finally shrugged and followed her to it.

He sat down stiffly and leaned his head against the back, closing his eyes. He was having a hard time figuring Andrea out. She'd been all over him that first day she had brought him something to eat but then after that he got nothing out of her. She came ever day and kept him company, though. Mostly they argued a lot but not all the time. She brought cards one day, which was alright by him. It helped to kill the time. The next day she had actually brought him a gift bag with Battleship in it. That had cracked him up, and that had hurt like hell. He wasn't ever sure if she was doing it to hurt him or not. For a bitch she was pretty slick. She made him laugh. He hated her.

She sat down next to him with her legs tucked under her and her body facing him. He cracked one eye open and looked at her sideways before shutting it once more. "Your wife seems like a real bitch." She said.

He grinned without opening his eyes. "She is. No comparison to the two of ya there, darlin'. She's the biggest bitch you'll ever meet."

"You don't compare the two of us often, I hope." She said dryly.

He shook his head. "I don't."

"So you two are still married? Why don't you just get a divorce? She seems to be a real thorn in your side."

He shrugged. "Don't figure it much matters either way. As long as she stays the fuck away from me and my boys, and Carol."

He heard her laugh softly and cracked his eye open again to peer at her. "The fuck ya laughin' at?"

"You. You're full of surprises, Buck."

He opened both eyes this time and glared at her. "How's that?"

She shrugged, ignoring the look that used to scare grown men and now didn't even seem to faze this stupid woman. "You dote on Carol like some mother hen. It's pretty sweet. I'm almost embarrassed that I used to be afraid of you."

"You don't know what the fuck you're talkin' about. I don't dote on that damn girl. And you should be scared, lady. I don't even fuckin' like you." He growled.

She rolled her eyes. "It really is obvious. I should take the hint and go away. Leave you alone for good. I truthfully can't stand you either. You're a foul mouthed pig. You have absolutely no class at all."

"Ya done now?" He asked.

"Not even close." She smiled sweetly. "Along with your lack of class is your lack of tact which is pretty appalling. When you get out witted by someone, which I'm assuming is often, you have this tendency to flex your ridiculous muscles as if that compensates for your lack of social skills."

"Ya know, I can think of a lot of other things that pretty mouth of yours could be used for that's a lot less annoyin'. That's your problem. You like to hear yourself talk. I'm just honest enough to let ya know that there ain't nobody here that gives a shit about what your sayin'. And at the end of the day, all you really are is a lonely, insecure little girl. You throw all those smarts around cause you feel inferior to anybody with a dick. In all actuality that's the one thing you need. I ain't never met a woman in my life that needs fucked by a real man as much as you do."

She glared at him but before she could say anything else he had her by the back of her hair and was yanking her face forward. He growled when she grabbed his bottom lip with her teeth and bit down hard. He kissed her roughly until she was nearly purring in the back of her throat. She moved her body but kept her lips on his until she was straddling him. He pulled his face back.

"Easy, baby, I'm injured here." He rasped.

She cupped his face and kissed him again, lightly. "I'm sorry." She breathed.

He shrugged and that was all the okay he had to give her before she was kissing him again. He locked one huge arm around her small waist and grinned against her lips. "I really don't like you at all, you know that, right."

She kissed down his jaw. "I don't like you either. You make me sick."


	39. Chapter 39

**Sorry this chapter is so late. I got a late start and it ended up being a little longer than I meant for it to be. I'm going to cut this AN short because I am one sleepy chick! Thanks so much for reading! I hope everyone has a good Monday =) Oh, and please excuse any typos! I went over this chapter with squinty eyes and may have missed a million things.**

Chapter Thirty Nine

Carol pushed the food around on her plate and tried not to look at anyone for too long. She wanted to cry. She had gotten herself into a huge mess and she had no idea how she was going to get out of it. She was scared. She hadn't listened to Daryl and now she was going to pay for it. She took a bite of her steak and chewed it slowly. She felt a shoulder bump her own and she looked over.

Merle was looking down at her with a worried look on his face. Great.

"Y'all want somethin' else. I'm gonna grab me another beer." He said suddenly.

Buck and Andrea asked him to grab them another drink so Merle stood up, grabbing her hand as he did so. When in the hell had Merle become so observant? Amazingly enough Daryl and Beth hadn't offered to go along with them. Daryl looked as though he was still lost in his own thoughts and Beth just smiled at Merle as he walked away, his hand holding Carol's firmly. She had to almost run to keep up with his long strides.

He didn't say anything until they were in the kitchen with the door shut firmly behind him. He spun around but he didn't drop her hand. Instead he pulled her closer. "What's the matter with you?" He asked, searching her face and pushing hair behind her ear with his free hand.

She shook her head but the hand that had pushed the hair back gripped the back of her neck and he shook his own. "Don't lie to me." He said softly.

His eyes were so clear and so filled with concern that she wanted to cry even more. She wished he would just leave her alone. But wishing did her no good at all because he grabbed her under the arms and sat her up on the counter so he could look her in the eye better.

"Please don't tell me my brother did somethin' stupid." He said when she finally did look at him. She looked down and shook her head slowly, feeling tears try to spill over. He lifted her chin with his finger until her face was tilted up.

She shook her head, not trusting her voice. She moved her eyes and looked at the clock. It was already 8:30. She had two and a half hours. Her heart started beating painfully hard in her chest and the tears that she had fought off for most of the evening spilled over under his intense gaze.

His eyes went wide and he cupped her face in his hand. She wrapped her arms around his neck and dropped her head to his shoulder.

"Jesus, Carol. What the fucks goin' on?" He muttered as he rubbed her back.

She shook her head, still not trusting her voice enough to say anything. What could she say anyway? She couldn't let them know what was going on. She had to play by Jenna's rules or Merle and Buck were in serious trouble.

She heard the kitchen door open but she didn't think anything about it until she heard a small gasp. "I'm... I was coming to see if you needed any help. I'm sorry." Andrea said, her voice was slightly shocked.

But of course she'd be shocked walking in and seeing Merle standing there between her legs with his arms around her and her face pressed into his neck.

"Ya didn't walk into nothin' scandalous. Would'ya go get Buck and my brother?" he asked.

Andrea didn't say anything else but Carol heard the door close quietly. Now what the hell was she suppose to do? She took a deep shuddering breath and his arm tightened around her and then his lips were by her ear. "What is it?" He whispered and the worry in his voice nearly crushed her.

"I fucked up, Merle." She whispered and then clamped her arm around his neck tighter.

She was going to tell them. She was going to have to tell them everything and hope to God that they could handle it. They were a family now. Sure they were dysfunctional as hell but they were still a family, and she couldn't figure another way out of this. They would know what to do. Meeting up with Jenna wasn't such a bad thought if they knew where she was. She almost started to relax.

"Well, whatever ya did, it can't be that bad." he whispered.

She finally pulled her face away and looked at him. His big hands brushed her tears away almost roughly. "It's real bad. And you gotta promise me that whatever I tell you, you wont run off and get high, okay. You're so close." She choked.

He shook his head. "I ain't goin' back to that. You should know better."

She pulled him closer again and hugged him as tight as she could. "I'm startin' to think they ain't nothin' wrong with ya at all. Ya just tricked me so you could get me in here and feel up on me." He grumbled.

She laughed into his neck even though she really didn't feel much like laughing.

"Get the hell off my woman, Merle." Daryl said as him and Buck entered the kitchen. He didn't sound the least bit angry at catching them that way. He trusted them both that much. "Carol?" Now there was concern there.

Merle pulled away from her until he was standing next to the spot she was perched on. Now Buck and Daryl were looking on at her tear stained face. She swiped them away.

"What's goin' on?" Buck asked right before he looked at Daryl.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly and decided to repeat what she had told Merle. "I fucked up."

Buck paled. She watched him with a frown. "You're knocked up, ain't ya? God damn it, Daryl!"

Her eyebrows shot up in alarm as he sat down heavily in the nearest kitchen chair.

"What?" Merle and Daryl both said in unison.

Merle was grinning but Daryl looked like he was about to run right out the door.

"We'll be alright." Buck said quickly as he glanced over and noticed the stricken look on Daryl's face. "I should still kick your ass, boy."

"She wasn't suppose to be able too!" Daryl nearly shrieked.

"Hey, if it's a boy y'all should name it Merle." Merle was beaming.

Carol couldn't even find her voice as she watched Daryl set in the chair next to Buck and start to chew at his thumb nail, his eyes staring off into space.

"Fuck it. I hope ya double dosed her little brother. Could ya imagine that? Twins. Hell fuckin' yeah." Merle hopped up next to her and put a heavy arm over her shoulders and laughed loudly. "Grandpa Buck. Holy shit, this is gonna be fun."

"Oh Jesus." Buck covered his eyes with a hand and shook his head.

Carol finally found her voice, she felt like her eyes were about to pop out of her head. "Would you stop it! I'm not pregnant!"

Buck dropped his hand from his eyes and Daryl pulled his thumb nail away from his teeth. They both looked up at her, their expressions hopeful.

Merle sighed. "Well, son of a bitch." he said quietly as he shook his head.

"What the fuck is going on with you then?" Daryl asked, unable to hide the relief in his voice.

"Do you guys promise you wont freak out and scream at me?" She asked as she glanced at the clock once more.

All three men shared a loaded look, knowing that this was going to be bad. She almost wished she could just tell them she was pregnant. They would take that news much better. Apparently Merle would be ecstatic.

"What is it, baby girl?" Buck asked, looking more worried than Daryl and Merle both.

"I talked to Jenna today." She said as she braced herself for the wrath of the Dixons.

Daryl frowned. "Yeah, so did I. We were there, remember?" He said as he inclined his head towards Buck.

She shook her head and leaned into Merle's shoulder more, knowing that he would be mad at her but Daryl and Buck were going to be furious. "Before she left she slipped me her number and I called her before you came back in." She was looking at Daryl.

He raised his eyes slowly as he leaned forward in his seat. She refused to look at anyone but him. His face turned cold and she wanted to look away. "So you fuckin' lied?" His voice was even colder than the look he was giving her.

"Why would you do that?" Buck asked quietly but she didn't get a chance to answer him.

"Because she's fuckin' stupid enough to think that Jenna can help us. She wants to work with her to try to bust the asshole that's been killin' people."

She felt Merle tense at her side.

Carol felt fresh tears but was able to blink them back. Merle was standing in for Daryl at the moment. She'd draw strength from him. "She said she wants me to help her and that now I don't have a choice. She's making me go with her tonight. She wants to use me as bait cause she thinks the guy is after me. She doesn't want Daryl to end up getting hurt."

Daryl launched himself out of the chair and crossed the space between them in just a few angry strides. Merle was in front of her faster than she could blink.

"Calm the fuck down, little brother." He growled.

Daryl ignored him. "If you had any fuckin' idea what she's done, you wouldn't be so quick to stand up for her you fuckin' dick. And don't act like I'd put my fuckin' hands on her either. Mind your own goddamn business." Daryl snarled.

"That's enough." Buck said in a stern voice. When Carol looked at him she had to look away quickly. He was looking at her with so much disappointment in his eyes that she felt she was going to be sick.

"I just wanted to help." She mumbled as she fought back more tears.

"Well, good job, Carol. You've helped plenty. Were you really gonna try to go with her? So she could try to use you as bait?" Daryl spat angrily as he paced around his brother.

"Leave her the fuck alone, Daryl." Merle growled again.

"Fuck you." Daryl spat and looked like he was about to lunge at Merle.

She had to keep going. They had to know everything. "I was going to do it because she said if I didn't then Buck and Merle were going to go down for killing Ed." She said quietly.

Everyone grew very quiet. Merle turned his head slowly until he was looking at her in shock. Daryl sat back down in the chair, pushing the hair back that had fallen into his eyes.

"How? How the fuck does she know about that?" Buck asked after the silence began pounding against her eardrums.

"She saw Ed that night. She never saw him leave but then she saw you." Carol whispered. She knew that this was a huge blow to both of them but she couldn't help but feel like a weight was lifted from her shoulders. She knew that she still had to do what Jenna wanted her to do but she didn't feel so alone in it anymore. They would know where she was. That didn't mean they could protect her. But at least she wouldn't just disappear if something happened tonight. She understood Daryl's fears now. She wouldn't put it past Jenna to get her killed.

"And you either go with her, so she could bait a killer, or she tries to get us taken down for Ed?" Buck asked.

Carol nodded as Merle settled in next to her once more. He looked just like his father and brother did at the moment. He looked completely beat down.

"You ain't goin' with her." Daryl said quietly, keeping his eyes on the floor. "You can't."

"I don't have a choice." She whispered. "I'm sorry. I should have just listened to you."

He finally looked at her, eyes full of defeat. "Yeah? Well, that's good to know, Carol. It's real fuckin' helpful." his eyes locked on hers. It was the first time he had ever looked at her like that. Like she had hurt him. She wasn't going to forget that look for as long as she lived.

He got up then and walked out of the room. All three of them watched him walk out. Her eyes spilled over and her heart hurt. She asked herself again how she could have been so stupid.

Buck was looking at his hands that were splayed flat on the table. "Did she tell ya not to let us know about this little plan of hers?" He asked.

Carol shook her head. "No, but it was pretty clear that she didn't want you guys to know. She told me to sneak away. I was going to try but I told her I wouldn't have been able to do anything like that. She just said I better try. She knew I would since I wouldn't want anything to happen to you and Merle."

"You ain't goin'..." Merle began but Buck interrupted.

"Alone. You ain't goin' alone."

Carol frowned. "But if I try to bring someone with me she's just going to get mad. She'll probably go ahead and try to get the two of you in trouble."

Buck shook his head. "She's been sittin' on that information for a while. I don' think she's ready to toss it to the cops. She likes to have shit like that over people. That's how she gets what she wants. She thinks she needs you right now. She's desperate. You ain't goin' alone."

"Buck you can't really do a whole lot right now." She said as she gestured towards his stiff posture.

"Not me." He said quietly.

"Daryl can't. I don't think he can..." Carol let her voice trail off when she saw the look Buck was giving Merle.

"Can you do this, boy?" Buck asked. "I'd do it myself, I swear I would, but I can't protect my goddamn self right now, let alone, Carol."

Merle just nodded.

"What are you two talking about? Merle can't, Buck." She shook her head.

"Daryl will kill her, darlin'. No questions asked. Merle has to do it." Buck said. "Daryl sees her for what she is now. It's somethin' he's strugglin' with on the inside. Probably more than any of us know. Merle always knew who she was. This is the only thing we can do."

~H~

Daryl couldn't believe she had done this. She had called Jenna, even after the fight they had. She had waited and then called the crazy bitch as soon as she got a chance. She never said a word to him about Jenna slipping her the phone number. There had to be something he could do. There had to be a way to save every one of them. He couldn't let Carol go. He couldn't lose his brother and his dad. But it seemed like no matter, he would lose something. Jenna needed to go. She needed to die. He wasn't sure if he really had it in him to kill her. He'd loved her. He thought she had been the only person that cared about him. He was always wrong about things like that.

Maybe if he left. If Buck and Merle agreed to go with him, then Jenna wouldn't have anything to blackmail her with and then she wouldn't have to go with the crazy bitch. But then she'd be alone. He couldn't have that. Unless she really meant what she had said.

Carol said that she would leave everything behind. She'd do it for him. But as he glanced around the room he knew he would never ask her to do that. This wasn't just her house. It had been her families home. He wouldn't ever even suggest that.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and put his face in his hands, elbows digging into his thighs. There had to be a solution to this. There had to be something he could do to fix the mess that this had turned into. He almost wished he'd never backed into her that day. Wished that he had never talked to her. Because that was all it had taken. One conversation. One look at her eyes and he'd been gone. He didn't understand why. He just knew that that was how it was. And look at what had happened because of it. Because he let himself have something that meant something to him. Because he wasn't smart enough at the time to walk away from her. Now he would lose them all. He knew he would.

He felt angry tears sting his eyes and he scrubbed them away with the heels of his hands. He couldn't even really blame Carol for calling Jenna. She wanted to help. Of course, it would have helped if she had just listened to him. But it wouldn't have helped for long. Jenna would have gotten to her eventually.

He hadn't turned on the light but the door was standing open. It was pressing towards twilight outside and the room was completely in shadows. The hallway light was blocked for a second and then he heard her voice. He never expected that sound to make him ache inside the way it did right then.

"Will you please talk to me? Just talk. Not fight." She said in a hushed voice that seemed to fill the entire room.

He moved his hands away from his face and, without looking at her, nodded. She came in and knelt down in front of him, her hands on his knees.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered and even in the shadows her large eyes shone.

He didn't want to yell at her anymore. He didn't want to hurt her. He just wanted her to be okay. This girl was going to kill him. He was starting to feel like he couldn't even breath at the thought of her leaving the room. Let alone the house. With Jenna fucking Dixon.

"Say something." She whispered again when he didn't make any move to touch her, even though every cell in his body was screaming for him too. He didn't move. Barely breathed as he looked at her face.

"What am I suppose to say?" He whispered back, hating that even he could hear the pain in his voice.

"That you don't hate me for this. That we'll get through it somehow. That when all of this is over you wont pack your stuff and leave me because I'm a stupid gullible girl."

He cupped the sides of her face in his hands and leaned down until he could dip his head down and catch her eyes that were now staring down at her hands. "I don't hate you. We're gonna get through this somehow. And when all this is over I'm gonna take a belt to your bare ass for bein' a stupid gullible girl."

Her eyes met his and the corner of her mouth turned up. "I really am sorry."

He nodded. "So am I. Cause I was gonna try to kill the guy if I ever found him. I wasn't gonna let you or Shane or Rick know a damn thing. We gotta stop lyin' to each other. And we can't keep shit to ourselves just to try to keep Buck and Merle in the dark."

She nodded. He felt better, telling her the truth. He hadn't been worried she would get upset about it. Everything needed to be out in the open. Now that Merle and Buck were up to date on the Jenna issue he thought that now maybe the four of them really could figure something out.

"Merle is going with me tonight. I wont go with her alone. Buck seems to think that she wont blow the whistle just yet. He said she likes to have things to hold over people's heads so she can pull it out later and make her ridiculous threats."

Daryl felt a strange mixture of relief and dread. Merle would die before he would let anything happen to Carol. She'd be safe with him and he did agree with Buck. Jenna would sit on this for a while. The dread was for his brother. Merle hated Jenna and the reason that Merle hated Jenna was because the woman had hurt him more than Daryl could even imagine.

"Do you feel better about it now?" She asked as she took his hands in hers.

He shook his head. "I feel better for you but this is gonna fuck Merle up pretty bad."

She shook her head. "I'm not sure if Jenna can get to him the way she did before. Merle has a strong family now. He's an important part of that family and he knows it. He's almost better. And I told him that if he did this and was strong enough to not let it get to him that I'd talk you into making him an uncle. He's quite excited."

Daryl knew she was kidding but his throat nearly closed up at the thought of that. That wasn't something that he would ever want. He had forgiven Buck for the things that Buck had done. He could start over and build a relationship with him. But truth be told, Buck fucked him up almost as bad as Jenna had fucked up Merle. He couldn't be a dad. Ever. The thought of that had his heart hammering in his chest so hard that he thought he was about to have a panic attack.

"I was kidding." She said softly as she pushed his hair back.

He nodded.

"You ready to come back down and join the party or what? Andrea came in and dragged Buck back outside. Them two confuse me."

He nodded again but pulled her face towards his before she could stand up. She kissed him for a long time before she finally pulled away and stood up, tugging on his hands until he stood up with her.

~H~

Buck wasn't sure how much more of Andrea's curious glances he could put up with. She knew there was something wrong but he wasn't about to tell the woman a damn thing. She was trying to figure it out on her own. Good luck to her.

Merle seemed pretty at ease with his new task. They would have to come up with something to tell Beth if she was still awake when Merle and Carol went to meet that demon spawned whore but that wouldn't be too hard. Not as hard as it was going to be for Buck to figure out a way to get rid of Jenna for good.

"Are you sure Carol is alright?" Andrea asked for the third time.

"Yep." Buck muttered.

He heard her blow out a frustrated breath. He smirked. He liked pissing her off.

"I think I'm gonna go ahead and take off. Ya feel like walking me to my car, old man? Or has your day been too eventful? I'll understand if you don't have it in you to make the trip."

"Were you born a raging bitch or did somethin' happen to make you this goddamn unbearable?" He growled as he stood up slowly.

"I was fine, once upon a time." She said thoughtfully as she laced her fingers through his.

"Then what happened?" He asked as he made his way towards the house. Beth and Merle were already inside.

She gave his fingers a light squeeze. "A horrible thing happened, actually."

He glanced down at the top of her head and rolled his eyes. "What's that?"

"I met you." She looked up and her face held no trace of humor at all but he could see it in her eyes.

They were almost to her car when he thought of something. He didn't even know what made him think of it. "You got that gun of yours?" He asked suddenly stopping.

She looked up at him once more and nodded. "I don't leave the house without it anymore."

"You remember all the shit I showed ya?" He felt himself frowning.

She cocked her head to the side, eying him warily. "I remember, Buck. What, are you going to tell me that you're actually worried about me?"

He glanced around the dark yard, unable to figure out where the paranoia was coming from. He just knew that, for some reason, he didn't want her to leave. She'd have more questions for him later, no doubt, but he'd deal with them. "Why don't ya just stay here." He said, eyes scanning the yard.

She glanced around herself, scanning the trees and hedges scattered throughout the deep front yard. "Did you see something?" She whispered.

Buck shook his head. "Probably just nerves. Been a rough couple days for this bunch, ya know?" he wasn't looking at her. He was still watching the shadows.

"You want me to stay here?" She asked after a few long seconds.

He finally looked down. There was none of their usual aggression. "I think that might be the best thing you could do."

She looked around once more and nodded. "Okay. Sure."

Buck couldn't shake the slimy feeling he had while standing there in the driveway. There was someone out there. He could feel it. Watching and waiting. He didn't know why he was afraid for her to leave by herself. He didn't really give a shit about the girl either way. She was damn fine to play with and she kissed like a goddamn porn star. But that was where it ended. He didn't feel anything towards her. Jenna killed that shit for him. The only female he trusted was Carol. But somewhere, deep down under all that scar tissue was enough give damn left for him to not want Andrea hurt. That put him in a real bad mood. He dropped her hand.

"Lets get the fuck back in the house. I'm sore as hell and the couch is callin' my name." he grumbled.

She must have caught on to his tone because she sighed and gestured towards the front porch. "After you."

He strained his ears the whole time they were outside but he knew he wasn't going to hear anything. The creepy feeling left him as soon as they went inside. He made sure all the locks on the door were in place. Andrea waited for him to finish and then they both made their way to the living room.

It was damn near ten already. Merle and Carol had an hour.

Daryl was sprawled out in the recliner with Carol draped across his lap, watching something on the television. Merle and Beth were on the couch, Merle in his usual position with his legs hanging over the arm and his head resting on Beth's thigh. Beth had a book in front her face. Everything seemed too normal. Staged.

Buck and Andrea made their way to the sofa that happened to be closest to the front windows. He couldn't help but keep glancing towards them, his eyes shifting from the news to the windows, even though the heavy drapes were pulled tight over them. He couldn't see out. No one could see in.

Everything was calm. He just had to hope like hell that in the next hour all hell wouldn't break loose.


	40. Chapter 40

**This is much better! I like posting early. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for reading! Have a great morning =)**

Chapter Forty

Merle pulled himself up off the couch and stretched. They were down to thirty minutes before they had to go. Beth was usually in bed by now and he couldn't help but wonder if she knew that something was going on. She glanced up from her book and smiled.

"It's pretty late for you, ain't it?" He asked, trying to keep his nerves out of his voice.

She nodded. "Daddy and Maggie had a real fit tonight. This'll probably be my last night stayin' for a while. Figured I would stay up as long as I could. You goin' to bed?"

He nodded and then offered her his hand and pulled her off of the couch. He didn't look at any of the others as they made there way out. He stopped outside of Buck's room. He never went in there with her. That wasn't what she was about.

"I'll see ya in the mornin', Beth." He muttered and went to turn around to go to his own room but she tightened her grip on his hand. He looked at her, a frown forming between his brow.

"Stay till I fall asleep?" She asked quietly. He could see the color rising in her cheeks.

He bit the inside of his lip and glanced at the door. He wasn't too sure if that was such a good idea.

"Merle, I ain't askin' for you to sleep in here with me. I just don't want you to go yet. If you can sleep in the same bed as Carol then surely it wouldn't hurt ya to lay with me a while."

"I don't..." But he let his voice trail off. Yes he did. God, what the fuck did other people think was going on in this crazy house? He didn't know she knew about those nights. But she did have a point. He wasn't sure exactly what she was to him but he knew that she was something. And she was thinking that he was sleeping with Carol? "It ain't like that." He grumbled.

She nodded. "I know that. Neither is this. But you don't have to if you don't want to. I just asked."

He blew out a breath and then nodded letting her lead him into the room. He kicked off his boots and flopped onto the bed, lacing his hands behind his head as she crawled in next to him.

"I ain't gonna bite ya, Merle. Stop bein' so nervous." She laughed as she curled up into his side.

He scoffed. "I ain't nervous." But that was a lie. He felt his pulse quicken when she raised up on her elbow and looked at him. He was working on changing but he knew all too well that he was still Merle Dixon at the core and he didn't figure that it would take him too long to coax the girl outta her clothes. A part of him wanted to do just that. But then another part of him, a part of himself that he was just getting to know, told him that was the last thing he should think about doing. At this point he wasn't so sure which Merle was going to win the argument.

When she leaned down and kissed him lightly even he could feel himself tense but he kissed her back until he felt her hand on his chest. He moved his head away and looked at her.

"This might not be such a good idea, darlin'." He rasped.

She shook her head and sighed. "I ain't no good at this, am I?"

He frowned and pulled his head away further so he could look at her better. "The fuck are you talkin' about?"

She shrugged. "All this kissin' stuff."

He snorted. "What the hell, Beth? That's just stupid."

"No it isn't. It's not like I go around kissin' boys all the time. And the ones I have kissed have been just that. Boys. You ain't a boy, Merle. I feel kind of stupid kissin' you."

"Ya kiss just fine, Beth." He muttered.

"Then why are ya always pullin' away? I'm not deaf. I know you've been with half the town. But I'm the one you pull away from."

"I ain't been with half the town." He frowned. "I don't think."

"So, is there somethin' wrong with me?" She asked, eyes wide and innocent, the question falling easily from her lips.

Was she serious? Is that what he was doing here? Making her feel bad about herself? All he was trying to do was keep himself from getting carried away with her. He was trying to be a good guy. It was almost sad that he was having such a hard time accomplishing that. Not being a complete asshole was hard work. He sighed and then decided to hell with it. He rolled over so he was facing her and then he kept rolling over so she was halfway pinned under him.

He kissed her like he hadn't kissed anybody in years, exploring every inch of her mouth and savoring every second of it. It was going to his head and he knew it. He kept going anyway. She tasted sweet instead of like beer and tobacco like he was used to. She hesitantly picked up on his new technique and then responded quickly, her nails digging lightly into the back of his neck.

That good guy was screaming at him to stop at the same time the asshole had his lips moving away from hers only to travel down to her neck and nip at the pale skin lightly as his hand traveled down to her knee, hitching it up slightly until her leg was draped over his hip. Her skin tasted just as good as her mouth did. There wasn't any heavy perfume assaulting his taste buds or the bitterness of stale sweat. When he caught her earlobe with his lips and flicked it lightly with his tongue she squirmed under him.

He needed to stop. He didn't want to stop. She wasn't acting like she wanted him to either but he forced himself too. He pushed himself up onto his arms and looked down at her. She was breathing heavy and her eyes were wide as saucers. "You gonna stop thinkin' that stupid shit now or should I keep goin'?" He asked in a husky voice.

"You can keep goin'." She breathed.

He shook his head and rolled off of her. He needed to go ice down his dick before he did something so stupid that he wouldn't be able to look at himself in the mirror anymore. "You need to go to sleep." he wanted to leave the room now but he knew if he stood up she would see the bulge in his pants and he wasn't too sure what she would have to say about that. He thought about what him and Carol were about to do tonight. He thought about the danger she would be in if he wasn't with her. He thought about the look Buck had given him, like it was all on his shoulders. He felt himself relax. It was pretty hard to maintain an erection while thinking about Buck.

Beth hadn't said anything else but when he glanced at her before he climbed back out of the bed she was smiling. Good. Now she could stop being so stupid. "Good night, Beth." he grumbled as he walked towards the door.

"See ya in the mornin', Merle." She sighed.

He pulled the door shut quietly and then stood there for a minute, leaning his head against the wood, a slow smile creeping onto his lips. He was damn proud of himself. Less than a month ago he would have had that little girl pinned up against the wall. But tonight he'd left her. Not that someone like her would have given him a second look a month ago. But that wasn't the point. She had said that he was a good man. Carol had said the same thing. He was actually starting to believe it.

And he wasn't sick. He'd fought hard and he damn near had the war won. He wasn't a womanizing asshole. He wasn't a strung out junkie. He had his brother's respect and he had Carol. If they could just get past this mess then life was going to be about as perfect as he could have ever hoped it could be. He never thought he could feel this good about being himself.

~H~

Carol wasn't sure where in the hell Buck and Andrea had gone. Maybe Andrea was going to stay with him tonight. She was surprised he would let her with everything going on now but then again, Andrea was pretty and Buck _was_ a Dixon.

"Do you got any idea what the hell she expects you to do tonight?" Daryl asked, his mouth close to her ear. They were still on the chair. She hated leaving him here to worry like this but at least she would have Merle. Merle wouldn't let anything happen to her.

She shook her head and burrowed deeper into his chest. They had fifteen minutes. "She didn't say. She just said she needed me as bait. She doesn't mince words does she?"

He snorted. "No. that ain't somethin' she's very good at at all. She just throws it all out there."

"At least she didn't lie." Carol whispered.

"Don't defend that bitch." He growled in her ear.

His hands were wrapped around her waist and she covered them with her own. "Daryl, if something happens tonight..."

"Ain't nothin' gonna happen." he said as his arms tightened around her.

She wished that she could see his face. None of them knew what Jenna had up her sleeve. He didn't know that nothing would happen to her tonight. There was still a lot that needed to be said. There was still a lot that he needed to hear even if he didn't want to hear it. "Daryl?" She whispered.

"What?" He whispered back, keeping his mouth close to her ear.

"You know that I love you, right?" Instantly his arms went rigid and she felt the muscles of his chest tighten against her back.

"I know." he said after a long pause.

It didn't bother her that he wouldn't say it back. As long as he knew. Eventually he relaxed once more but it wasn't long before Merle came in.

"You ready to do this, darlin'?" He said as he held out one large hand for her to take. He pulled her off of Daryl's lap. Daryl was on his feet right behind her.

"Merle..." Daryl had to clear his throat but Merle just shook his head.

"Ain't nothin' gonna happen on my watch little brother."

She turned away from Merle and wrapped her arms around Daryl's neck. "I'll see ya."

He kissed her hard and then nodded briefly before pushing her away gently towards his brother. Buck came in next. She figured he was asleep but she should have known better. He'd stay and wait just like Daryl would.

"You got that gun?" Buck asked as he put an arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze.

She nodded and held up her bag but Buck took it from her. He pulled the gun out, looked it over for a few seconds and then turned her around and lifted up the back of her shirt. He settled the gun in the waistband of her jeans and then pulled her shirt back down.

"You find yourself in a bind you shoot to kill, you hearin' me, baby girl? You don't fuckin' think. You shoot."

"Yes, sir." She whispered.

He kissed her forehead and then he, just like Daryl, handed her over to Merle. She laced her fingers through his and let him lead her to the door. When they were out on the porch with the door shut and nothing but the sound of crickets filled their ears she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"You sure you can do this?" She asked as she searched his eyes for any sign that he was feeling too stressed.

He met her gaze steadily and nodded. "Ain't gonna be easy. I ain't stupid enough to think it'll be like that." He shrugged. "I'm just gittin' to where the thought of her hatin' me don't much bother me no more."

"It shouldn't." She said between clenched teeth causing his eyebrows to shoot up.

"Let's get this shit over with, little sister." He smirked.

She nodded and then headed towards the street, her hand still clutching his tightly. The feel of the gun nestled against the small of her back made her feel like she was little more in control. The feel of Merle's hand in hers made her feel safe. She felt like an idiot for ever thinking that she needed to keep this to herself. She should have known that they would come up with a way to get her through the night. Now all she had to do was worry about how Jenna was going to react to Merle being with her. She couldn't help but be a little afraid that maybe Buck and Merle had Jenna all wrong. That she would get mad enough to do something about this. This wasn't what Jenna had asked her to do.

They walked slowly. To anyone else they probably looked like a couple on a late stroll together. Here was another reason for her neighbors to talk about her. But there was no way she was letting go of Merle's hand. They slowed down even more when they heard the sound of an engine behind them but it was just a random car.

"You think she spotted me and called it off?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I don't see why she would really. That wouldn't make any sense. If she was going to do that she would at least approach us and say something. Just leaving without saying anything isn't her style."

He blew out a breath. "I guess you're right. She sure is takin' her fuckin' time though." They had already made it several blocks away from the house.

Headlights suddenly flashed behind them and something about the sound of the vehicle had Carol stiffening. She spun around and sure enough, coming towards them much too slow, was a big black truck. Whoever was behind the wheel turned on the bright lights, causing them both to shield their eyes.

"Oh, fuck." Merle mumbled as he yanked her arm and shoved her behind himself.

Carol was scared. She knew who this was. Jenna had set her up. It didn't matter that Merle was with her. Jenna must have known who the killer was. She had called her and gotten her to leave the house alone so the maniac could get to her.

As the truck approached she felt her fear start to get trumped. Anger was quickly replacing it. She was tired. This son of a bitch was ruining her life. She was ready for this to be over. What would the guy do to Merle? And when he was done with Merle what were his plans for her? She wasn't going to wait around and see what happened. She was going to do what she could to protect them both.

When the truck was only about ten feet away from them it slowed even more, creeping the rest of the way. She reached behind her and pulled out the gun. Without looking she clicked off the safety the way Buck had showed her. Just as the truck came to a rumbling stop beside them she raised the gun and pulled the trigger. She didn't think. She acted. Buck would be proud.

The sound of the shot and then the squeal of the tires that followed it were deafening. She shot right into the passenger window but she knew she didn't shoot the driver. The truck was very tall. Taller than Daryl's truck and she had aimed high. Before she knew what else to do Merle had the gun and he was running, dragging her by the hand the way they had come as the truck sped off around the corner.

Merle's legs were long and he was much faster than her but she was running on adrenalin. She had shot at someone. Her! Little Carol Mason had shot a gun! At a killer! Merle turned down a side street, dragging her along. Another half block and he pulled her into someones yard and without pausing they ran to the back. At the back of the yard there was a chain link fence. Merle let go of her hand and launched himself over it. He turned around instantly and helped her scramble over the top. Then they were running once more.

She wasn't even sure why they were running. Sure, maybe someone had called the cops, but it wasn't like she had shot at an old lady or anything. She had shot at the person that was after her. All they had to do was explain what had happened.

They had to make their way over a few more fences and once they even came close to getting bitten by a dog but eventually they found themselves in their own back yard. They both paused by the garage. Merle bent over with his hands on his knees, trying hard to catch his breath.

She leaned her back against the garage and panted.

He raised his head to look at her but he stayed bent with his hands on his knees. "She set you up." He huffed. "That fuckin' psycho bitch set you up!" He rasped.

She nodded. "She did. You all were right. She really does want me dead."

He surprised her by laughing.

"Merle, how the fuck is that funny!" She nearly shrieked.

"You tried to kill'em. You sucked at it but by god you fuckin' tried to shoot the mother fucker!"

She nodded and took a deep breath. "I really did." She could feel that her eyes were wide but she couldn't even blink. Her hands were shaking so bad her arms looked like they were quaking.

He grabbed her hand and they ran to the back door. Of course it was locked. She grabbed the keys out of her pocket and, after missing the lock completely quite a few times, let them in, slamming the door shut behind her on accident. It wasn't two seconds later the light was on and Daryl was standing there in the doorway.

"What the fuck happened?" He choked as he looked them over.

Merle looked down at Carol and flinched. He reached out and wiped at her jaw with his thumb. When he pulled it away there was blood.

"What the _fuck _happened!" Daryl nearly shouted as he grabbed her by the arm and gave her a quick once over. Her shirt was torn in several places and she had cuts where the tears were. She must have done some damage to herself when she had went over those fences. Her jeans were dirty from the few times she had slipped while Merle was dragging her along. The palm of one hand was scraped up pretty bad.

"Jenna didn't fuckin' show. Carol's friend did." Merle spat.

"What?" Daryl gasped and then Buck was suddenly looking in the doorway.

"Jenna set her up, little brother. That big fuckin' truck came outta nowhere!"

"I shot it." Carol said hastily. "I shot at the bastard."

Daryl gaped at her and then Merle. "She tried to get you fuckin' killed." His hands balled into fists at his side. "And you shot him?"

Carol shook her head. "I shot the window out. I didn't shoot him. He took off."

"How'd you two get all banged up?" Buck asked from the doorway.

When Carol looked up the look on his face was scary.

"When she shot at him the fucker took off. All I was thinkin' was someone callin' the law. We took off through yards. Had to jump a fence and outrun a dog. We must have taken some nicks without noticin'."

"So he didn't try to get out? Didn't try to chase y'all down or nothin'?" Daryl asked as he pulled Carol into his side. "Jenna wasn't there?"

Merle shook his head. "Not unless she was in the passenger seat. If she was then she's dead now."

Carol gasped and then covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, no. No, she couldn't have been in the truck. I couldn't have killed her."

Daryl tightened his arm around her.

"I hope ya did." Buck said as he crossed his arms over his chest and then winced. He dropped his arms to his side once more. "It would save me a ton of fuckin' trouble.

"Call her." Daryl growled at her.

Merle dropped onto one of the bar stools, still breathing heavily.

"No. You don't need to call her. Give me the fuckin' number." Buck hissed as he crossed the kitchen and towered over her.

"Buck, you need to think about this. Calm down or somethin'." Daryl said as he stared at him. But Buck wasn't paying any attention to him. He was looking down at Carol, reaching out suddenly and brushing the back of his hand down her cheek gently.

"You did good." He said as the corner of his mouth turned up slightly. "Give me the number."

She reached into her back pocket and handed him the small piece of paper.

When he turned to walk towards the phone Daryl had her face cupped in his hands and he was kissing her. It was one of those kisses that he usually saved for the bedroom... or the car... or the garage... or the shower. Before he pulled away she had his shirt balled up in her fists and her toes were curling inside her grass stained sneakers.

She looked up and met his eyes. His were wide, scared.

"You ain't leavin' this fuckin' house without me again." He whispered. He copied Merle and wiped more blood away from her jaw.

She shook her head. "I wont."

"Who the fuck is this?" Buck roared into the phone. They turned their heads to stare at Buck's back. He turned and looked at them, his face falling into a scowl. "Who?"

Carol and Daryl glanced at one another and then at Merle who looked just as confused as they did as they watched Buck. Buck looked up at them, a frown creasing his brow. "Milton?" He asked, a bit of disbelief in his voice.

They all three shared another look and then Daryl pulled her to him more tightly.

"The fuck?" Merle muttered.

Carol felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest. Something was wrong here. More wrong than usual.


	41. Chapter 41

**Good morning! I know this chapter is way late but my boyfriend had to go to the emergency room last night and I was pretty much a bundle of nerves. I wasn't sure if I would ever get this finished but here it is. If it's a bad chapter than I apologize, I was quite stressed through a lot of it and it may show. It get's a little dirty towards the end, just a warning! Thank you all for reading! I hope you all have a great day!**

Chapter Forty One

Daryl was still finding it hard to believe this was happening. Not that Jenna had set Carol up. Not that Carol had shot at someone. Not that somehow it seemed that Milton Mamet had something to do with this. No, what he found hard to believe was what Buck did after he ended the call with Milton.

Buck Dixon. Recovered drug addict. Ex right hand to one of the most powerful criminals in Georgia. Buck Dixon, who's job had been to_ murder _people, called the fucking cops.

"Are you fuckin' high!" Daryl hissed as soon as Buck hung up the phone. "You really just called the goddamn cops? What the hell, Buck. Are you crazy?"

Buck ignored him. He walked straight up to Carol and took her hands, leaning down so they were eye level. "You don't mention Jenna. You and Merle went on a walk and the truck came outta nowhere, stopped right beside you and you got scared and shot out the window. You understand?"

She nodded. "What about Milton? What did he say?"

Buck shook his head. "He said he had just gotten home and heard the phone ringing. He said he found the phone on the floor and answered it."

"Buck, it couldn't have been him. He wouldn't have had time to get home, hide the truck and then answer the phone when you called." Carol said, clearly as confused as the rest of them. "He wouldn't have answered her phone at all."

"Don't worry about that right now. You just tell Shane and Rick what I told ya to tell'em, alright? We'll deal with Milton later." Buck said as he stood up. "Go get cleaned up, both of you." He glanced at Merle.

"What's going on?" All eyes fell on Andrea who was standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest.

"Go." Buck said to Carol once more and Daryl followed her and Merle out of the room to let Buck deal with Andrea.

The three of them hurried out of the kitchen. Merle wordlessly went to his room and Daryl followed her to theirs. She went to the closet and grabbed some clothes before heading back towards the door. He stopped her when she tried to breeze past him. She spun around and gave him a questioning look.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he looked her over once more. Her eyes were still large and her face was still flushed but other than that she didn't look like she was scared or anything and he found this strange.

"I'm fine. Just a little banged up." She said with a nod.

"I know that but are you alright? You ain't freakin' out or anything. You shot at somebody. Don't ya think that you should be a little bit freaked out about that?" He asked with a frown.

She shook her head. "I'm tired of being afraid all the time. That's all I've ever been. I'm done with all that."

He was surprised at her nonchalant tone. "That's a good thing, I guess." his eyes raked down the front of her. None of the cuts were too bad but they all needed to be cleaned up. He tugged on the hem of her ruined shirt.

"I should have known that she would do something like this." She said suddenly. "I've made one hell of mess, haven't I?"

He met her eyes once more. "This is my mess. You're kinda the innocent in all this shit."

She shook her head and then sighed. "It's _our_ mess."

They walked to the bathroom and even though the door was shut Carol went right in anyway.

"Hey!" Merle called from the shower. "Get out."

"Go to hell." Carol said calmly. "And keep your head in there." With that she stripped the shirt off and looked down at the scratches on her stomach.

"Jesus!" Daryl grumbled as he moved so he was between her and the shower. "You two are way to fuckin' comfortable with each other."

She looked up with her eyes. "He doesn't look."

Daryl gaped. "You make a habit of just strippin' down when you're in the same room as him?"

"I don't look." Merle said from the shower.

"See." She muttered as she reached into the medicine cabinet. "And I never get naked anyway. He'd see the same thing if I were wearing a bikini."

Daryl moved also to keep her from being visible from the shower. She took out the bottle of alcohol and grabbed a clean washcloth. "You don't wear bikini's." He grumbled.

She just shrugged and started cleaning herself up. He took the rag from her and wiped at the cut on her jaw. She didn't flinch.

"Y'all think that Milton fella had somethin' to do with the shit that went down tonight?" Merle asked.

Daryl was still uncomfortable standing in the bathroom with his brother in the shower and his girlfriend... "What the fuck, Carol!" He choked as she shimmied her jeans down her legs. He glanced over his shoulder but Merle was still behind the curtain.

"He couldn't have been the one in that truck." She said as she pulled on some shorts. "He wouldn't have had time. And he doesn't even know Jenna." She yanked the tank top over her head as she spoke.

Merle snorted and then the water turned off. "He has to know Jenna, stupid. I don't believe that bullshit about finding a phone on his floor. And if he did then the bitch had been in his house and if she was in his house then chances are, they know each other. You decent?"

"Decent." She confirmed and then Daryl flinched as he heard the shower curtain open. He covered Carol's eyes quickly and then once more glanced over his shoulder.

He expected Merle to be standing there naked but he wasn't. Not really. He had the towel tied securely around his waist.

"Hey, check this out." Merle said with grin.

Carol pulled his hand away from her eyes and stepped around him. He turned to see what Merle was up too now. Merle had his arm outstretched. Carol got close, like the big bastard wasn't standing there in just a towel. She looked closely at his arm and then grinned.

"Almost over." She said as she glanced at Daryl.

Daryl frowned and then stepped closer. Merle's arm was almost healed up. Both of his arms. Even though this was a very awkward situation, especially when Carol decided that the almost naked Merle deserved a hug, but he had to admit that he was damn proud of his brother. He never thought he would see the day that Merle cleaned up his act.

"What the fuck are all of ya doin' in the goddamn bathroom?" Buck knocked on the door. "When them fuckin' cops leave the four of us are gonna have a long talk."

Carol opened the door and stepped around him. "We were just talking Buck. Why are you even up here anyway?"

Buck looked in and shook his head. "Y'all can talk when one of ya ain't naked."

"I ain't naked." Merle muttered.

Buck blew out a breath and shook his head. "Y'all are a bunch of fuckin' weirdo's. That's all I got to say about it. And I had to come up here to tell ya that we got company downstairs. Maybe I shoulda sent one of them up to get ya. Maybe then you'd all be shamed into actin like normal people." Buck smacked Daryl in the side of the head lightly before storming past them.

Daryl glared after him. "Why do I get smacked in the goddamn head when you two are the ones that are fuckin' weird?"

Merle and Carol didn't say anything. Merle went to his room and Daryl led Carol down the stairs. Rick and Shane were in the kitchen. They were both standing there with grim faces and arms crossed over their chests. Andrea was brewing some strong smelling coffee. It was going to be a long night and they both had to work in the morning.

"So, tell us exactly what happened. Don't leave anything out, even if it doesn't seem important." Shane said as he pulled out a chair for her to sit in.

She sat down and he took the seat next to her. He still kind of pissed Daryl off the way he looked at Carol. He was still pining for her even though it was pretty clear that she wasn't interested at all. Hell, Daryl didn't even know why she wasn't interested in him. Shane was kind of a better catch than Daryl was. He had a lot less baggage, anyway.

Carol told them everything that Buck told her to tell them. And she was damn convincing. By the time she was done telling her short story her eyes were shining with tears and Shane really looked like he wanted to comfort her. If he tried it they would be taking Daryl out in hand cuffs though.

"The gun you used, that was the one that I loaned you?" Rick asked.

She nodded. "I know I wasn't suppose to carry it on me but I was scared."

Rick nodded. "The fact that you don't have a permit to carry can stay between us I suppose. But you really do need to get that taken care of, Carol." He said in a stern tone.

"I will." She said quietly.

And that was about it. Daryl knew there would be a lot more to it if it had been anyone but Shane and Rick that had showed up. That was why Buck had asked for them specifically. Their friendship with Carol came in handy when it came to all this crazy shit going on.

They only had a few hours of sleep they could catch before they had to leave for work but this was far from over. They still needed to talk about Milton and what to do about all of that but with Andrea standing there it was hard to do. Finally Carol grabbed him by the hand and told the rest of them goodnight.

He gladly followed her. There was nothing else to be done tonight and he felt dead on his feet. He'd be lucky if he didn't fall off a roof tomorrow.

~H~

Buck watched all three of them leave the kitchen, leaving him alone with a suspicious looking Andrea. This was the last thing he wanted to do. He had dealt with her questions already over Carol. And then she actually asked him, right out of the blue, if he thought that maybe Carol was sleeping with Merle. He'd bit back what he had really wanted to say to her and just explained to the nosy bitch that Merle and Carol were definitely not sleeping together. They were like brother and sister. She seemed to accept that. But he knew that she was really going to drill him now. He should have sent her ass packing.

He needed her to go back to fucking bed so he could talk to Milton. That had him stumped. Milton had been with them the night that Beth saw the man and the truck. He couldn't have been the person Beth had seen. But it would have to wait since he was the dumb ass that had wanted Andrea to stay in the first place.

"You want some coffee?" She asked after the silence went on for a while.

He shook his head and went to stand up. He winced and sat back down.

"You know, I saw the pills in your room. Maybe you should take some for the pain." She said with a frown.

"Don't need'em. What I need is to keep my head clear. Doping myself up ain't gonna help nothin'." He grumbled.

She poured two cups even though he already told her that he didn't want any. She was so fucking annoying. She sat the cup down in front of him and then he felt her hands on his shoulders. He tensed at first but suddenly relaxed when he felt her hands start to work at the muscle there.

"Holy shit." He groaned. "Who the fuck woulda guessed you was useful?"

Her hands stopped. "I'm trying to be nice here, Buck. Can't you just shut your mouth and let me?"

He chuckled and then took a few long drinks of the hot coffee. "Alright then. I'll shut it."

And he did. Neither one of them said a word. She worked on his tense shoulders and then moved up to his neck. She was good, he had to give her that, even if he couldn't stand her. The only time she stopped was when she took a drink and then she would just keep going. He knew what she wanted. He wasn't stupid. She hated him as much as he hated her but it didn't stop her from wanting him. And the feeling was mutual.

"You still going to let me have your bed?" She asked.

"I said you could could sleep in there. I never said I wasn't gonna be sleepin' in there with ya. Your ass can take the couch if ya wanna sleep alone."

She sighed. "Goodnight, Buck."

He didn't turn to watch her go. Hopefully she would sleep on the damn couch. He knew she wasn't going to give up that easily. She was going to hound him until he wanted to scream. He thought about calling Milton but decided not too. Knowing her she'd be standing on the other side of the doorway, listening in.

He got up and shut off the coffee pot and the lights, making his way through the house to the damn guest room. He didn't know why he was pissed off about that. The room was still better than anything he had ever had before, even if it was smaller. He couldn't help the small smile that he could feel on his face. Carol cared. There wasn't nothing wrong with that. It was strange having someone give a damn and for some reason that girl cared something fierce.

He went into his room and sat down on the edge of the bed and stripped off his shirt and then kicked his boots off. He was about to go for the button on his jeans when he remembered that he still didn't know whether or not Andrea went to the couch. He looked over his shoulder and could just make out the curve of her hip in the dark.

Damn. He hated sleeping in clothes. He was going to go ahead and lay down, as far away from her as he could get, and sulk there since he wouldn't be able to be comfortable enough to get any decent sleep but then he decided not too. This was his fucking bed and if he wanted to sleep in his goddamn boxers in his bed then he would. And if she didn't like it then she could move her snooty ass to the couch.

He undid the button and kicked off his jeans, feeling pretty smug. She'd no doubt get her panties in a bunch over this and then she'd bitch at him over it. She was sexy when she was pissed off. That meant that she was usually sexy because she was usually pissed off over something.

He was all wrapped up in bandages from his chest to the middle of his abdomen and he was still pretty tender so he could only sleep on his back. He swore to himself that when this was over and he was all healed up he was going to sleep on his stomach for a year. It was a good thing he had a lot of practice in prison. That was once place where sleeping on your back was the best thing you could do.

He eased down on his back and scowled when he realized something. He hadn't slept in a bed with a woman since the last time he slept in a bed with Jenna. Actually, he had never slept in a bed with a woman before Jenna either. He'd had sex with plenty but he never stuck around for a fucking thank you cuddle. And he never let them stick around for one either. He liked his space.

So why the fuck had he let this bitchy, snobby, know it all woman in his goddamn bed? Jesus, he should tell her to get the fuck out. Right now. He should kick her in her ass and tell her where the door is. He got even more pissed off when he remembered how nervous he had gotten at the thought of her going home alone. What the fuck was wrong with him? Like he didn't have enough goddamn bullshit on his plate? Caring about people was a hard fucking thing. He had Merle to worry about, Daryl to worry about, Carol, that girl was gonna give him a heart attack with the stress she gave him. And now he had to, for whatever fucked up reason, give a shit about this stupid jackass of a woman too? He wanted to punch something.

"Thanks for offering to let me stay, Buck." She said quietly from her side of the bed.

His scowl deepened. "Don't tell me you're gonna talk all fuckin' night and make me regret it."

He felt her shift and then roll over. "What the hell? Did I do something? Cause you're being more of a prick than usual."

He glared in her general direction. "I thought we came to the agreement that we didn't like each other? I shouldn't have to have an excuse to be a prick to you. I can be a prick if I want. Your in _my_ bed."

"Fuck you. You're a real piece of shit sometimes, you know that?"

Buck just grunted, feeling satisfied that he was able to get under her skin. It made him feel a little better about letting her sleep with him. That was, until she raised up.

"You know what, I'm done. I should have known you would be a complete jerk because that's all you know how to be. You're nothing but an asshole. You can try to change all you want, Buck, but at the end of the day, an asshole is all you'll ever be. And I'm done." She tried to move away to get out of the bed but he grabbed her wrist.

He had done it without thinking and she had frozen up as soon as he had touched her. He needed to tell her to fuck off and then let her go. That was exactly what he needed to do. But the thought of her leaving the room bothered him for some reason.

"Let go. I'm not playing anymore games with you. It was fun at first. It isn't fun anymore."

He didn't let go of her wrist. He tugged her towards him and at first she resisted and then gave up. He didn't know what he was even doing anymore.

She blew out a frustrated breath. "What the hell do you want?" It wasn't harsh. It was simply a question. A question that he couldn't answer.

"I have no fuckin' idea." He grumbled as he drew her even closer. And he didn't. All he knew was that he didn't want her to leave. The reason why was beyond him. He had no clue.

He finally let go of her wrist when he felt her hair graze his face. He snaked his hand around the back of her neck and then a thought occurred to him. "What the hell do _you_ want?"

"I have no fuckin' idea." She whispered.

He pulled her face to his and kissed her softly. Nothing like all the other times. All the other times he was out to bruise her mouth for the hell of it. Just because he knew he could and he knew that she liked it. She was a freak like that. So he was going for shock value with a little bit of gentleness. What he hadn't expected was for her to return it the way she did. And for him to _like_ it the way he did.

She eased herself down so his head was back on the pillow. Jesus, what the fuck was he doing? Her tongue was soft as silk in his mouth, not fighting his, just gliding against it and then swirling around it. He let his hand roam down her side, over her waist and then stopping at the soft swell of her hip. Her bare hip.

Once again he cursed the mother fucker that sliced him up because there a whole lot of shit he wanted to do that he physically wasn't able to do as every spare ounce of blood went south. Just from touching her fucking hip. He would have cursed himself out if she wasn't clouding his brain with the crazy way she was kissing him.

She eased one leg over him, carefully, without breaking that dizzying kiss. He was only wearing boxers. There was no way in hell she wouldn't feel his ridiculous reaction to that fucked up way she was kissing him. He once again felt like a horny goddamn teenager. Jesus Christ, he was just like Daryl. Sure enough as soon as she settled herself on top of him her tongue stopped moving and she pulled her face back slightly.

"Can you?" She whispered.

His hands went to her hips once more, feeling all the way up to her waist. She hadn't just stripped out of her pants, she wasn't wearing anything but a goddamn t-shirt. "I can't do shit, darlin'. But you can do any fuckin' thing ya want." he whispered back.

"I'm not sure if it'll work." She breathed and for the first time he heard a little fear in her voice.

He smirked. He knew exactly what she was talking about. "It'll work." He rasped. "It ain't _that_ big."

She was bracing herself on her arms to keep all of her weight off of his bandaged torso. He eased her shirt up until she had to sit up and strip it the rest of the way off. She just needed to relax and she wouldn't have anything to worry about. He was just a bit hindered at the moment and couldn't take as much control as he normally would. But then again there was something about not being all the way in control of the situation that was really turning him on. He'd never found himself in a position where he was so weak before.

Her lips found his once more after the shirt was tossed away, still slow and sweet. Damn it there was stuff that needed to be done and he couldn't do it. It was starting to piss him off. He ran his hand along her inner thigh so she raised up higher on her knees, giving that wondering hand more access to what he was seeking.

As soon as his fingers touched her he felt her gasp a little. He couldn't control the growl that rumbled low in his chest. He kept his touch barely there until she was grinding against his hand. He smiled against her mouth and finally slipped one finger inside, and then had to pull his face away to swallow. It was an animalistic thing, he knew, but he actually started salivating. He was getting pissed off again. He wanted her. Wanted her so bad that he was drooling like a fucking dumb shit but he was also too fucked up to do the things he wanted to do and it pissed him off.

But then he had an idea. "Raise up for a second." he whispered as he placed his palms flat against the headboard and then pushed off quickly, sliding down on the bed until she was hovering just above his chest.

"Buck, what the hell are you..."

He grabbed her hips and nearly lifted her off the bed. He felt the muscles in his chest protest painfully but he was barely aware of that pain as he pulled her roughly until he had her right where he needed her. He had to taste her. He didn't know why. Fuck he didn't know why he'd done half the shit he had done since he got into the bed with her, but he had to. He raised his head just enough, his mouth seeking out the heat that was pouring over his face, she cried out and then fell forward, catching herself on the headboard with her hands and then bracing herself there.

He made slow work of exploring her and after a while he was almost sure she was going to cry. The sounds she was making were pitiful, and he liked it. More than liked it, really, they were about to drive him mad. When he made his slow journey back to the place he knew she wanted him to be he could feel the muscles in her thighs tremble. He smiled and after a few seconds of teasingly light strokes of his tongue he caught her between his lips, sucking hard.

She let go of the headboard, her back arching as she grasped the top of his head, her entire body jerking as she nearly screamed. She was almost suffocating him but he didn't mind. If Buck Dixon went out with some hot woman riding his face then fuck it, Buck Dixon went out a goddamn hero in his book. He didn't stop until he knew she was spent.

She moved until she was straddling his hips once more, still panting, still trembling. He laced his fingers behind his head and grinned in the dark. "Think you can handle it now, darlin'?" he sounded like a gloating asshole but didn't much care. She tugged the offending boxers down his legs until he could kick them the rest of the way off. His heart started doing double time at the prospect of actually getting inside her. He was pretty sure this was going to top out at being the best fucking lay of his life but then the grin slipped off his face.

"Fuck." he growled just as her hand wrapped around him.

"What?"

"Ya gotta tell me your on the goddamn pill cause I ain't got nothin' that's gonna keep your ass from getting knocked up, and I ain't about to go through that shit again!"

"I'm on the goddamn pill, Buck." she breathed and before he could say anything else she was lowering herself onto him so slowly that he was sure he was going to blow it right then and there. Literally. He was sure she was holding her breath and he was hoping like hell he wasn't hurting her. It felt like he might be.

He stayed perfectly still other than his heavy breathing. He hated what he was about to say but he heard himself whisper the words anyway. "You can stop if you want to, alright?" Mother fuck he really hoped she didn't want to stop. He had been right. If she kept going then this was going to be the best he'd ever had.

"Aren't you just a gentleman, Dixon. I didn't know you had it in you." She whispered and then she moved her hips in a tentative motion that had his eyes rolling back in his head.

"Nah. I wouldn't let ya off the hook that easy. I would demand a hand job at least." he groaned and then grabbed her waist when she moved again, and this time she didn't stop. She still moved slowly, which was okay cause if she went any faster than this she'd have a lot of ammunition to throw at him. He couldn't have her telling people that Buck Dixon lost his load in under a minute.

He was starting to find it more difficult not to move with her, especially when she really did start to get into it. And he could tell when it actually started feeling good because suddenly her hands were on either side of his head and her mouth was on his. He ran his hands up and down her back, unable to remember ever feeling skin as soft as hers.

She moaned into his mouth and he had to concentrate hard on holding back. She was close, he could feel how close she was. But so was he. He was surprised he'd made it this long and the closer she got the better she felt and the harder it was to keep himself in check.

"Oh, wow." She whimpered.

He wasn't going to make it. Whatever was happening inside her was a slow build and he was about to loose it. He slipped his hand between them and brought her the rest of the way there, as fast as he could.

She cried out just as he felt the rush of heat inside her and that was all he could handle. He wrapped one arm around her waist and clenched his teeth together as he poured into her. Other than a few groans that he was sure she didn't hear, he didn't make a sound. But truth be told, it took everything in him not too. She kept moving over him, squeezing him until he was completely sated. She kissed him again and then he found his lips traveling down her jaw and to her neck. Not kissing her for any specific reason other than he wasn't ready for her to pull away yet but eventually, after kissing her lips lightly once more she climbed off of him and dropped into a heap at his side.

"I have a feeling you're gonna be a really fun guy once you get all healed up, Buck." He could hear the smile in her voice and he grinned. Not just because of what she said, but the thought of her still being around once he was healed up made him smile. Then it made him want to scowl but he couldn't do it.

She reached down to the foot of the bed, where the blankets had been kicked, and covered herself up before laying on her side, facing him once more. She stayed a few inches away. He told himself how stupid it was as he did it but he did it anyway. He reached out with one hand and yanked her over until she was pressed against his side and her head was on his shoulder. Sleeping like this just for one night wouldn't hurt anything.

"You were actually really sweet tonight, Buck. You really surprised me." She whispered.

He tightened his arm around her shoulder and then his lips brushed her forehead. "Fuck off and go to sleep, blondie, before I kick your uppity ass outta my bed."

She laughed and then draped her arm lightly over his bandaged chest.

~H~

_He checked the ropes that bound her wrists. He had checked them several times but he had to make sure. He adjusted the blindfold over her eyes until he was once again satisfied that she wouldn't be able to see him when she finally woke up. _

_He knew what she had been doing. She was searching for him. Slithering around town, asking questions. Her sons had been doing the same thing. He already knew, but unlike them she was smart. She was asking the right questions. Asking the right people. That was a problem. Everyone else was looking for Ed Peletier. Those idiot Dixons were looking for some drug addict criminal. Not Jenna. She was too smart for that. _

_Unfortunately for her, she wasn't smart enough to realize that the one she was after was right behind her, watching and listening. He had heard every word she had said to Carol when Carol had called. She had unknowingly told him everything he needed to hear to get Carol once and for all. It was the perfect opportunity. Of course things were never ever as easy as he thought they would be. His plans had been ruined once more because Carol could never get away from the Dixons._

_But now he had Jenna. And Jenna would help him. It would just take him a while to get her to come around. But she would. He knew she would. Once she realized who he was, she would be more than happy to help. They had been close once. They could be close again. _

_He held the damp cloth under her nose once she started moving her head back and forth. He wasn't ready for her yet. She needed to sleep a little longer. Just a little longer..._


	42. Chapter 42

**This is one of those dreaded filler chapters! But it's still something to read. Story progression and stuff =) Thank you for the well wishes! I passed them along. You guys are the best. Glad you all enjoyed the Buck ;) Just wait till I get him all healed up. Anyway, this is a short one and I'm sorry about that! I hope everyone has a great Thursday! And thank you for reading!**

Chapter Forty Two

Merle woke up earlier than he thought he would. From the dim light that crept through the curtains of his bedroom windows it didn't look like the sun had been up for very long. He felt a little queasy and there was a dull throbbing in his head but other than that he felt good. Better than good. Yesterday morning was his last fix. If you could even call it that.

He stretched and then yawned obnoxiously before swinging his legs over the bed. He had been able to score more parts for the new bike and he was ready to get started. When he opened his closet he pulled out the first long sleeve shirt he saw. He looked at it for a few moments and then looked down at his arms. He shoved it back into the closet and then went to the dresser, pulling out a black ribbed wife beater. Hell fuckin' yeah.

He stopped outside of Buck's room and tapped on the door before he opened it and peered in. He expected her to still be asleep but she wasn't. She was sitting Indian style in the middle of the bed with the blankets piled around her, her hair was a mess and she was rubbing her eyes with the heals of her hands. When she looked up she smiled sleepily.

"Mornin'." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the door frame.

"Yes it is." Her smile grew wider.

"You hungry?" He asked as he pushed off the wall and strolled further into the room.

"You're gonna make breakfast?" She raised an eyebrow.

He snorted. "I lived a long time without Carol cookin' for me and I ain't starved."

She shoved the covers back and then crawled out of bed. "This is gonna be fun to watch." She grinned.

He left her alone to get dressed and ran down the stairs. He glanced towards the living room on his way down, eying the couch but there was no one sleeping there. He shook his head and smirked. He didn't get this whole Buck and Andrea thing. It was right up there with him and Beth. A strange fucking pair indeed.

He heard a tap at the door as soon as he hit the bottom of the stairs. He frowned and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall next to the doorway to the living room. It was almost eight. Pretty early for visitors. He opened the door, ready for it to be the damn cops or the Feds or one of them damn Jesus salesmen. He grinned when he saw who was standing there.

"Morning, Merle. I didn't wake you up, did I?" Lori asked.

Merle shook his head and opened the door wider. "No ma'am. Come on in. I was bout to make me and Beth some breakfast. Ya hungry?"

"What are you cooking?" She asked with an easy smile as she slipped under his arm and came inside.

"Breakfast of champions. Fruit Loops." he winked and then led her down the hall towards the kitchen. He heard her quiet laughter behind him. "What brings ya here so early? Other than the exceptional company this place provides, of course."

"Actually I've been looking for Andrea." She said as she perched on one of the bar stools as he grabbed three bowls and lined them up.

Merle glanced up at her and smirked as he filled the bowls. "You found her."

"Merle Dixon, you coulda told me my hair looked like a haystack." Beth rounded the corner and then blushed when she saw Lori sitting there. "Oh, hi."

Lori offered her a smile. "Hello, Beth.

Beth recovered and sat down next to her. "Cereal, Merle?" She laughed.

"I told ya I'd fix ya breakfast. I didn't say shit about cookin'." He pushed both girls a bowl and handed them a spoon.

Lori shook her head but she dug in. "I never thought I would be sitting here eating fruit loops with Merle Dixon."

Beth and Merle shared a humorous look and then started eating.

"So, is Andrea out in the garage or something? You said she was here and her cars out front." Lori said with a frown. "Does she usually come over this early?"

Merle glanced up at Beth again. He couldn't hide the evil smile that spread across his face. Beth shook her head.

"Merle, that ain't such a good idea." Beth said quietly.

"What are you two talking about?" Lori asked.

"I know where she's at." Merle grinned as he came around the island and grabbed Lori's hand.

"Buck is gonna kill us, Merle." Beth grumbled as she hurried after him.

He led them through the den and then hesitated outside the door to the spare bedroom. Lori wore a look of confusion and then suddenly her eyes widened. "No!" She giggled behind her hand. "Are you serious?"

Merle nodded and reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly and then easing the door open. There they were, in Buck's bed with only a sheet covering them up. Andrea's leg was draped across Bucks waist, her hand resting on the side of his neck. One of Buck's arms was under his head but the other was wrapped around Andrea. Merle knew if Buck caught him then he'd probably get his ass kicked so he shut the door once more.

"Oh my God! She hates him. She's constantly going on and on about how horrible he is!" Lori looked shocked but she was smiling.

"He hates her too. I've never seen two people be so mean to one another." Beth whispered, hiding a laugh of her own.

Merle just shrugged. "Sometimes opposites attract." His eyes met Beth's but she looked away, her face flushing but a small smile tugging up the corners of her mouth.

His fist hit the door then, causing Beth and Lori both to jump. "Hey, Buck! You seen Andrea? Lori's here lookin' for her."

Beth and Lori once more had to stifle their laughter.

~H~

Buck jerked awake at the sound of Merle's booming voice. Andrea's head snapped up, her eyes large.

"Shit! I forgot I was suppose to meet her today." She hissed as she glanced towards the door.

Buck followed her eyes toward the door. Merle wouldn't have just knocked. No, he would have barged right in. That was Merle's style. He'd already seen them. Fuck. "Cat's outta the bag now, blondie." He groaned.

"What?" She looked at him and then reached across him to retrieve her shirt.

"Merle's done opened the door. Your buddy knows you fucked a Dixon." He chuckled.

"Oh my God." She whispered as she tugged the shirt down over her head. "She thinks I hate you."

He grinned. "You do hate me."

"Buck! Are ya up!" Merle yelled as he banged on the door once more.

"She's comin' boy, shut the fuck up!" Buck called.

"Don't need the details, Buck. All ya had to do was answer the question." Merle laughed.

Andrea rolled her eyes. "This is awful. And I do not hate you. I hate that you're a complete asshole most of the time."

Before she could move Buck had her by the wrist again, pulling her towards him. She didn't hesitate before she kissed him. "And what about the rest of the time?" He asked.

She looked at him for a few long seconds, hair falling over her shoulders and touching his face. He pushed it back with one hand. "The rest of the time, I kind of like you."

She leaned over him for one more lingering kiss and then she rolled off the bed and yanked on her jeans. She gave him one last fleeting smile before she slipped out the door. He laced both hands behind his head again and stared at the door she had disappeared through. He couldn't keep his mind from wondering back to the night before. He wasn't sure what he had expected out of her but it was definitely not that. He needed to get the woman out of his head. She was a bitch. He didn't even like her.

He got himself dressed as fast as he could. He had a lot to do. He should have gotten up a lot earlier than this but there wasn't anything he could do about that now. He made it to the kitchen slowly. He'd overdone it last night and his muscles were killing him. And he really hadn't done a damn thing. He was ready to get back to himself. He didn't like feeling like an old man.

He was surprised to see everyone in the kitchen. He figured Andrea would have taken off like a bat out of hell with her friend in tow. But there she was, talking to Lori in a hushed tone while Merle and Beth sat at the table, heads close together, talking about god only knew what. Lori glanced up when he walked in, blushed like some teenage girl and then gave him a once over.

Andrea just shook her head.

"Well, I don't have that much longer to get there. Are you ready?" Lori asked Andrea.

Andrea nodded. "I still can't believe I forgot about that."

Lori looked at Buck once more. "Well, you were... preoccupied. All is forgiven. Hey, Merle, thanks for breakfast." She called.

Merle grinned and gave her a wave. "Anytime."

Andrea stopped in front of him and smirked. "I'll be back later for my car."

He nodded. Did she expect him to kiss her right here in front of god and everybody? Luckily for him she didn't. She waved and then walked out with Lori.

Beth was the next to leave. She was meeting Maggie across the street at Glen's house. Poor Merle had it bad. He watched from the porch until he knew she was inside the other house. He guessed that was good for the boy though. Something else he noticed right away was that all he had on was a sleeveless shirt. All the marks were faded to almost nothing on his arms.

"I'm gonna go have a chat with this Milton fella. Get my hands on that bitch's phone." Buck said as they headed around the house towards the garage. "You wanna go?"

"Do I get to rough him up?" Merle asked with a hopeful gleam in his eye.

Buck rolled his eyes. "Merle, ya saw the guy. Either one of us moves too fast around him and he's gonna piss himself. I don't think he had anything to do with this shit."

Merle snorted. "The mother fucker has Jenna's phone. How the fuck does that happen unless he knows her?"

Buck shrugged as he mounted his bike. "Go lock up, boy. I'll meet ya out front."

Merle trotted back to the house while buck walked the bike to the front. He was going to hunt down that bitch, starting today. And when he found her this was done. His mind was made up. She'd actually tried to get Carol killed. He didn't know why the hell her phone was in Milton's house but he was sure that she was up to no good.

He heard Merle's bike roar to life and couldn't help but grin. He loved that sound. Him and Merle took off, heading towards the outskirts of town where Milton lived. Carol had told them where to find the place. He hoped the guy didn't faint or anything when they pulled up in his driveway. The vibrations were causing his chest and abdomen to ache like hell but he clenched his teeth and ignored it.

~H~

"It's lunch time." T-dog said as he glanced at his watch.

Daryl looked up and wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. The sun was beating down on his back. "Already?"

T-dog shook his head. "Hell yeah, already. You don't ever stop, do ya?"

Daryl shrugged and shoved the hammer into his tool belt. "I stop when it's time to stop."

Carol, being Carol, had taken it upon herself to feed T-dog. When she fixed their lunch she always threw in extra food for the man. She liked him because, according to her, he was hilarious. They made there way to the car. Daryl fished the keys out of his pocket and opened the trunk. There was a huge cooler in there, filled to the brim with ice that was now ice water.

"That girl of yours is a damn angel, Dixon." T-dog said as he shoved his arm into the frigid cooler and fished around for a bottle of water. Daryl grinned and did the same. He chugged half of it and then bent over and poured the rest over the back of his neck. T-dog did the same thing both of them hissing as the cold water poured over their overheated skin. It was a hot one today.

They both looked up when they heard someone approaching. Carol was coming towards them, three sacks in her hand and a nervous look on her face. She offered a smile and a sack lunch to T-dog. He thanked her like he always did. When she looked at Daryl her smile fell.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked, her voice causing him to narrow his eyes. Something else had happened. Jesus, couldn't they have just one good day?

He nodded and led her off to stand next to one of the gravel trucks. At least there was shade there.

"I got a phone call about an hour ago." She said as she crossed her arms and watched him peek into the bag.

He sighed. He didn't want to hear this but he knew he had too. "Who called?"

"Philip Blake." She said quietly.

He glanced up, eyes narrowing even more. "Why the fuck would he call you? How'd he even know where to get a hold of you?" He bit into his sandwich but he really didn't taste it. He didn't like that guy. He gave him the fucking creeps.

She shrugged. "He's the mayor. He knows a lot, I suppose. And he called because he wanted to know if we've seen Jenna. She was suppose to meet him for breakfast this morning but she never showed. When he called no one answered."

He mulled this over for a few seconds as he chewed. "Maybe she's dead." He said evenly.

She stared at him. "And that's okay with you?"

He met her eyes. "If she was willin' to hand you over to somebody that wants you dead then yeah. I'm fine with it. You think Buck ain't gonna kill her for what she did?" He snorted. "Buck loves you. Jenna had Buck pegged all wrong. She thinks that he's just like her, but he ain't."

"But what if she wasn't willing to hand me over to someone? What if someone got to her before they came after me last night?"

He shook his head. "How else would somebody know exactly where you was gonna be unless she told'em?"

Carol leaned against the truck and looked down.

"Ya need to eat." he muttered.

She nodded and then grabbed his hand. "Let's go eat with T-dog then. He's hilarious. I need some hilarity in my life at the moment.

"You wore another skirt." He was watching the sway of her hips as she led him back towards the car.

She looked over her shoulder. "You're a real piece of work, Daryl."

He smirked. "And you're an incredible piece of ass, Carol."

Her jaw dropped right before she clamped it shut and tried to fight back her laughter. "I can't believe you just said that to me. You really are Buck Dixon's son."

He sighed and then threw an arm over her shoulder. "I really am."

T-dog was just crumpling the sack in his hands when they walked up to the car. He was still standing next to the open trunk. "Y'all gonna drive me home today?" He grinned at Carol.

She surprised them both by shaking her head and then shoving her hand into Daryl's front pocket. He had to hold back a groan when the back of hand, purposely grazed his junk. Sometimes working with her was extra fun. Her hand came out of his pocket clutching the keys to the car. She tossed them to him.

"You can drive it as far as your house." She smiled sweetly.

T-dog, who had snatched the keys out of the air as fast as he could just stared at her for a while before his face split into a huge grin. "No shit? Don't tell me you're joking. I swear to god I'll never talk to either one of you ever again if you tell me your joking."

"Tell him your jokin'." Daryl urged with a wink. "Then I can work in fuckin' peace."

"You love my commentary, Dixon. It helps the day fly by."

"I'm not joking." Carol said as she leaned against the car and started eating her own lunch. "But I do need you to do something for me." She smiled sweetly.

"I knew this was too good to be true." T-dog sighed and gazed down once more at the key in his hand.

"It isn't anything bad. I want you to clear your schedule for Saturday evening."

Daryl frowned and studied her face and then had to look away when she started sucking cheeto dust off her finger. What the hell was she up too?

"Sure thing. But how come?" T-dog asked, still not looking like he trusted her.

"Party. I want to have a party. Just a cookout. Maybe bring something with you. I'm sure you can cook. You look like the type."

Was she serious? She wanted to throw a fucking party while all this crazy shit was going on? She'd lost her goddamn mind.

"I can do that." T-dog grinned.

Carol smiled crookedly as her eyes met Daryl's and then she nodded. "Good. This is gonna be fun. Morgan and a few of the other guys are coming too."

Daryl just stared at her like she was crazy. This was going to end badly. He was pretty sure of that.

~H~

Milton pushed his glasses back up his nose and perched on the edge of the sofa. He kept rubbing his palms against his thighs like they were sweating.

"So you don't know anything about Jenna Dixon? Ya never met her?" Merle asked.

Milton shook his head and then his eyes got huge behind the lenses of his glasses as Buck stood up from the chair Milton had offered him and towered over the man. Buck rolled his shoulders, the muscles straining against the thin fabric of the black t-shirt he wore.

"You ever hear any stories about me, Milton?" Buck asked quietly, eying the man with a scowl.

Milton pushed his glasses up again, his eyes shifting from Buck to Merle who was still sitting. "I have heard several stories, yes."

"So you know what's gonna happen to you if I find out you're lyin' to me?" Buck asked, keeping his voice low.

"I assure you, Mr. Dixon. I have never met your wife. I wouldn't even know what she looked like."

Milton flinched when Buck sat down next to him and rested his head against the back of the couch. "Listen, Milton. I think you're a pretty good guy. And I think you just might be tellin' us the truth here. But I'm gonna need that phone. Gotta try and track down my Ol' lady. You understand, right?" Buck looked at him.

Milton nodded, seeming glad that he could finally give Buck something that would pacify him. "Yes, of course. I was going to turn it over to the authorities and file a report this morning but it seems nothing in the house has been touched. It almost seems as though someone entered the house, sat the phone down, and simply walked back out the door. I don't suppose there is anything they could do about it. I'll go ahead and grab it for you."

He stood up, happy to leave the room. Merle leaned forward in his chair. "You think he's bullshittin' us?" He asked.

Buck shook his head. "Nah. He don't know what the fuck is goin' on no more than we do."

Merle eyed the doorway that Milton had disappeared through. Something still wasn't sitting right with him. Maybe Milton didn't know Jenna but Jenna had been here. What the fuck would she have been here for? "Do ya think Jenna was tryin' to set this guy up?"

Buck shrugged. "Who the hell knows?"

Milton came back in with the cell phone in his hand. "There's a few missed calls on here. Maybe we should call the numbers and see if she's called the phone to try to locate it."

Merle was on his feet in an instant and snatched the phone out of Milton's hand. "Thanks a lot Milton, but we'll handle it from here."

Buck stood up, looking pretty stiff. Merle knew that he would be in some pain after riding that bike. He knew better than to try to tell the old man anything though.

They left shortly after that. Milton was probably thrilled to have them out of his house.


	43. Chapter 43

**Believe it or not, we are totally getting there, my friends ;) I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for reading! Have a great morning! Or night, depending on where you are in the world =)**

Chapter Forty Three

_Jenna was being ridiculous. He had no choice but to whisper because he was too afraid that she would recognize his voice and he didn't her want to recognize him yet. He had to calm her down and talk to her. Eventually he would be able to decide whether he could trust her to help him or not. And he had to know that she trusted him. They could help one another._

_"I know you're working for that piece of shit husband of mine. You idiot. Do you have any idea how many connections I have? You don't know the kind of shit storm you've kicked up you slimy fuck!"_

_"Shhhh," He wished she would keep quiet. He hated listening to her mouth. _

_"Don't fucking shoosh me." she hissed._

_"Would you like some water?" He whispered, masking his voice as much as he could._

_"Oh, so you aren't some dumb as shit mute, huh? That's good to know."_

_"Would you like some water?" He asked again. He knew she had to be thirsty._

_"Go to hell." She growled and then tugged at her restraints once more as she rolled back and forth on the small mattress. _

_He put a hand out to stop her from struggling but she lashed out with her leg and kicked him hard in the arm. It stung. He cradled his arm for a few long seconds and then stormed over to the shelf where he had stashed the extra rope. He grabbed her by the ankles and yanked her legs roughly until there was a decent amount of strain on her wrists. He bound her ankles together and tied them to the old metal foot board of the bed._

_He walked up until he loomed over her. _

_"Don't you think for a second I'm going to beg you. You'll have to kill me first." She spat._

_He slapped her face. He hadn't meant too. He wasn't going to hurt her but she wouldn't stop it. He needed her quiet so he could gather his thoughts._

_"What are you gonna do now? Huh? You gonna fuck me?"_

_"Stop it!" He hissed._

_She started laughing. She was laughing at him! He turned and hurried up the stairs. He would kill her if he didn't get away from her. Sooner or later she would calm down. He wished he didn't need her. He despised her. He should have put more thought into this. But now he was stuck with her. _

_He slammed the door and leaned his back against the wood. He needed to calm himself. He needed out of the house. _

~H~

T-dog was all grins as he walked down his sidewalk to his front porch. Carol was almost certain his face would be stuck like that for the rest of his life. That girlfriend of his was going to think he'd either lost his mind or was cheating on her.

"That was nice of ya." Daryl said as he backed out of T-dogs drive.

She shrugged. "I guess so." She watched his face carefully. She knew he was going to ask her what the hell she was doing. He'd tell her that now wasn't the time for some party. But Jenna, regardless of how bad she was, was actually onto something. There was somebody out there after her. Someone who was willing to kill people. It had to be someone that knew her. So why wait around and hide? She was planning on inviting every person she knew to the house. Maybe they would slip up. Somehow she was going to find out who was doing this.

"So, a party, huh?" He said absently.

"Yep." She said softly as she turned to look out her window.

"Ya think that's smart? Ya know, since there's a goddamn psycho out there that wants to kill ya and all?" He kept his tone even but she could sense the anger brewing under it.

"I think we need to try to get whoever it is. I know when you first mentioned going after him I had a fit but I get it now. We have to find this guy. Jenna..."

"Don't. Don't even talk about her. Okay?" He growled.

She nodded. "Okay."

He huffed, his eyes narrowing. "I just want all this shit to be over. And I want you to stop coming up with these dumb ass ideas."

She understood why he felt that way. She wasn't going to get mad at him for it. She scooted over a little and then put her hand high up on his thigh. He glanced at her and then quickly looked back at the road.

She moved her hand up a little. His eyes flicked towards her and then right back to the road once more. The muscle in his jaw started twitching.

"That ain't gonna work." he grumbled.

She leaned over and kissed his neck as she let her hand move up the rest of the way and then grinned. "I thought that this wasn't gonna work." She whispered in his ear.

"It ain't." He swallowed.

"Then what's this?" She asked as she ran her hand over him and then caught his earlobe between her teeth.

"That's a goddamn traitor." He growled.

"Don't be mad, okay?" She said quietly, all teasing aside. She really was tired of fighting with him over this. They had to find common ground. They had to work together. They all did. If they didn't then they weren't going to figure anything out and she couldn't stand the thought of what happened to Buck happening again.

He moved one hand off the steering wheel and moved her hand off of him, threading his fingers through hers. He sighed. "Fine. We'll have a fuckin' party. Sounds like a real goddamn blast."

"You'll have fun. We can socialize and hunt down a killer."

He glanced at her again before he pulled into their own driveway. "You spend to much fuckin' time with Merle and Buck. You're as crazy as they are."

She was barely paying attention to him anymore. "Who's car is that?"

He hadn't seen it when he pulled in because it was parked on the other side of Andrea's car, but there was a car there that wasn't familiar. It looked like a brand new Cadillac. He grunted. "You can't do shit with a car like that. Waste of fuckin' money." He parked the Charger and then ran his hand lovingly over the dash. "Now her. She's a thing of beauty. And when somethin' does go wrong with her then all I gotta do is fix her up. All these new cars are a fuckin' joke. That kinda car breaks down and you're fucked unless ya got yourself a degree in computer science or some shit. You can't get your hands dirty under their hood cause ya might fuck up and damage their _brain._"

She almost wanted to laugh at him. He was completely offended by the car in the driveway. But she didn't laugh. Instead she covered his hand with her own on the dash. "That's why we have her, Daryl." Okay, she had to laugh now.

He scowled at her. "What the hell is so damn funny?"

"You called the car a her." Carol was still laughing.

"She is a her." His scowl deepened.

Carol forced her face to grow serious. "Sometimes I think you only love me for the car."

"What?" He scoffed. That's fuckin' stupid. I love you because..." He stopped, eyes widening and then skittering away from hers quickly.

She instantly felt bad. She'd tricked him into telling her that he loved her. What kind of girl did that to a man. "I'm sorry." She muttered, hating the scared look in his eyes. "I know that isn't what you meant to say." She was about to get out so she could figure out who the hell that car belonged too when he stopped her.

"Carol?"

She turned her body so she was looking at him once more. His eyes were downcast and he took in a heavy breath. When his eyes met hers once more his brow was pulled down in a frown. "I do. Ya know?"

She nodded and smiled. "I know that." She said softly.

He nodded and then let go of her hand, until they were out of the car, then he grabbed her hand again as they made their way to the porch. She couldn't keep the smile off her face, especially when she would catch him glancing sheepishly at her from under the fringe of hair that was in his eyes.

Before either of them could put one foot on the porch steps the front door opened and a man walked out, followed by Buck and Merle.

"Dr. Rothenberg?" Carol frowned. "Is everything all right?"

Merle clapped the doctor on the back and grinned. "Jim just stopped by to check on the old man."

Carol and Daryl climbed the steps. "You two know each other?" Carol asked, still not sure why Jim would be at her house.

Merle chuckled. "Oh yeah. We go way back. First time I ever over dosed on pain pills, about twelve years ago, Jim here fixed me right up."

Jim glanced up at them and shrugged. "I was in the neighborhood. I was actually looking at a house for sale a few streets over when I saw Buck and Merle pulling in. I figured Buck may have done some damage to himself on that bike."

Buck just shrugged.

"Well that was really nice of you. Were you just leaving?" She asked, hoping Merle and Buck wasn't rude to the man.

"Oh yes, I have to be back at the hospital in a few hours. I'm filling in for a friend." Jim nodded towards Buck and Merle. "Well, I hope you all have a nice night." He said as he stepped around them and headed down the steps.

Carol thought of something just then. "Oh, Dr. Rothenberg?"

He turned, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"If you aren't doing anything this Saturday evening, we're having a cookout. You're more than welcome to stop by if you aren't busy." She ignored the way Daryl's hand tightened on hers.

"Well, unless something else comes up I should be free. I'll see you then." He smiled and waved before walking away.

"We're havin' a party?" Merle asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Carol grinned back. "Yep." She knew she could count on Merle to react properly. Buck didn't look all too pleased. She tugged at Merle's shirt and she couldn't help but smile so wide that it hurt her face. "Nice shirt."

He flexed at her, causing her to role her eyes.

As soon as she was in the house she pulled her shoes off and unpinned her hair. It was blessedly cool since Merle liked to set the air to Antarctica. "Pizza night, boys. I am not cooking. I'm hot and tired and my feet hurt."

Merle and Daryl beat her to the couch but she didn't care. She flopped down on her back with her feet in Merle's lap and her head on Daryl's. Buck eased himself into the chair and laid his head back. It had been a horribly long night and a long hot drawn out day. She had actually went along with Morgan to meet with other contractors who were bidding on another site nearby. She didn't know that going with him would include walking around potential future job sites. It was not fun.

"We got our hands on Jenna's phone today." Merle said as he stared at the T.V..

Carol raised up on her elbows. "No shit?"

He shook his head and then grabbed one of her feet in his big hand and started rubbing absently. She dropped her head back down onto Daryl's lap and groaned.

"Find out anything?" She asked, hoping he wouldn't stop whatever the hell he was doing to her foot.

"Found out that Philip Blake was callin' her a lot this mornin'." Merle said without looking at her.

"She's got a lot of contacts. Wasn't sure whether or not to go through'em all or not." Buck said quietly.

Carol glanced over at him. He was watching Merle, scowling. She looked back at Merle and the corners of his mouth were turning up, as he kept on rubbing her foot. She craned her neck so she could look at Daryl and he was scowling at Merle too.

"Merle!" Daryl and Buck both yelled at once.

She looked back down in time to see Merle's mouth next to her foot. She hadn't even noticed he'd pulled her foot up that far. He winked and then kissed her ankle.

"You dumb fucker!" Daryl yelled.

Carol laughed but she did grudgingly pull her foot out of his grip.

Buck stood up and shook his head. "I'm gonna go order food. You three are a bunch of fuckin' freaks."

"Me?" Daryl shook his head. "It's them!"

"You was in the bathroom last night too. I didn't forget about that by the way." Buck said as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Cause she was in there gittin' naked while he was in the goddamn shower! What was I suppose to do?"

"Carol!" Buck glared down at her.

"What? He doesn't look." She argued. She was going to kick Daryl's ass for this one.

"I don't look." Merle said, eyes still glued to the T.V..

Buck just growled and stormed off.

"You're a real jerk, Daryl." Carol muttered as she craned her neck to look at him.

He rolled his eyes. Merle got back to rubbing her feet and Daryl went back to scowling at Merle. She closed her eyes and started thinking about Philip Blake's phone call. He had been calling Jenna's phone and he had also called her on the company phone, not her cell phone.

Jenna was close to him. He knew Carol from years back. He had always had a really creepy personality. God only knew what sort of mental state of mind he was in after the loss of his wife. He had access to everyone in the town. He was powerful enough. He seemed to be smart enough and he struck her as the type to be unstable enough.

She sat up straight, eyes snapping open as she swung her feet off Merle's lap and stood up. They were both staring at her like she was crazy.

"Philip Blake is trying to kill me." She said in a rush.

Merle and Daryl shared a silent look. Theirs eyes were locked, relaying silent messages and then they both looked back at her. Their faces grim.

"They're settin' Milton up." Merle said in a hushed voice.

"What should we do?" Carol asked, her eyes extra wide. Surely this was it. It had to be him. Him and Jenna were working together to kill her. The only thing she didn't understand was why. Why would they do this? Why would they kill all those other people? And then set Milton up to take the fall? That part of it didn't make any sense but the rest did.

Buck came back into the room and then stopped in his tracks when he saw the look on their faces.

"What the fuck is it now?" He asked, throwing his hands up dramatically. He reminded her of Daryl right then.

"The Mayor wants me dead and him and Jenna are working to set up Milton Mamet." Carol blurted out.

Buck blinked in surprise. He looked like he was mulling it all over in his head. "Some of it still don't make no sense." he muttered as he sat down in his chair. But he was on board. She could see it in his face. He looked up sharply. "I'm gonna kill'em both."

Carol shook her head, panic setting in at the finality of his words. "No. No, you're not killing anybody! What the hell is it with you Dixons?" Now she was the one throwing her arms in the air in exasperation. "All three of you! You think you can just go around killing people!"

Merle snorted. "Look who's talkin', dead eye. I was there last night, remember? You tried to kill somebody too."

"Oh shut up, Merle!" She growled. "That was different."

"How?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Because, I was protecting you!" She nearly shrieked.

Merle launched himself off the couch. "What! You're full of shit, Carol!" From the look on his face she had just completely offended him.

"I am not! I thought you were going to be killed and so I acted. Just like Buck said. Act. Dont think."

"You did that cause you wanted too! I don't need no little girl protectin' me and you know it!"

Buck shook his head. "That's enough! How the fuck is a man suppose to think with you two yellin' at one another? Shut up!"

"Call him." Daryl said suddenly.

They all three looked at him. "What?" Carol asked, pretty shocked that Daryl had been the one to suggest this.

"Invite him over. It was your idea. We can watch him." Daryl said simply. He got up and headed for the stairs. "If he's the one doin' this shit then we need to watch him, see if he fucks up around a bunch of other people." He looked back over his shoulder, eyes meeting Buck's. "And if she's right. If he's the one that is behind this shit. We kill him."

Carol's mouth dropped but Merle and Buck just nodded. This wasn't what she wanted to happen. If they could prove that it was him then they should tell Rick and Shane. Not run off and kill the guy themselves. This wasn't some nobody. This was a legit government official. They wouldn't get away with killing the guy!

~H~

Andrea sat across from Lori at the Grime's kitchen table. Lori had been chewing her nails for a while now, staring off at nothing.

"When are you going to tell him?" She asked quietly.

Lori glanced up and removed her hand away from her face. "I don't know. This wasn't something we've ever even talked about."

"You've been married for two years, Lori. You've been together since high school. He's going to be happy." Andrea smiled, trying to offer her friend as much comfort as she could.

"A baby. He's gonna freak out, Andrea. I know he is." Lori said as her eyes filled with tears for the hundredth time since they left the doctors office.

"Lori, Rick is one of the best men I've ever met. He's going to be happy about this. Just wait and see. You're gonna feel like a real ass when he turns out to be the happiest guy in town over this."

Lori wiped her eyes once more. "I hope you're right."

"I am." Andrea smiled.

Lori sat back in her chair and sighed. Her dark eyes flicked up and she smiled slightly. Andrea knew what was coming. Lori had been preoccupied all day once the doctor had confirmed that she was pregnant. But now she wanted to take her mind off of that and she had a damn good opportunity to do so.

"You had sex with Buck _Dixon_." Lori grinned.

Andrea crossed her arms over her chest but didn't say a word.

"You _hate_ the Dixons!" Lori said as she leaned forward in her chair. "Especially Buck Dixon and then you had sex with him!"

"I don't hate Buck. Me him just kind of..."

"Have sex?" Lori's eyebrows shot up.

"I'm leaving." Andrea said but before she was able to stand up Lori grabbed her hand.

"How did that even happen? You have to tell me!" Lori pleaded.

"I don't know. He's really... interesting." She shrugged.

"And gorgeous." Lori laughed. "They all are."

Andrea scoffed. "You're ridiculous."

"No I'm not. I never noticed before because they all scared the hell out of me but it's the truth. Could you imagine living with all three of those men? So, how did it happen? You have to tell me. Right now."

Andrea shrugged. "It just happened. I don't know how."

"How could he even manage it? Rick told me how bad it was after that creep attacked him. He's stapled back together! I would be too afraid to be with someone like him. He's like a bulldozer."

Andrea just looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Weren't you afraid?" Lori asked.

Andrea shook her head. "He isn't very scary. His bark is bigger than his bite." She thought back to the night before. He'd actually been... gentle with her. Well, other than picking her straight up off the bed and setting her back down right on his face. That was kind of aggressive.

"Oh my God, you're whole face just turned red. What did the two of you do?" Lori laughed and pulled her legs up into the chair, wrapping her arms around her knees like she was settling in for a long story.

"You know what we did. We had sex." Andrea deadpanned.

Lori rolled her eyes. "I know that. But what was it like?"

"It was great."

"You aren't going to give me anything are you?" Lori asked, sounding more disappointed than she should have been

"Nope."

"Do you like him? Like, really like him? Are you going to stay there again?"

Andrea sighed. "I really do like him. Believe it or not. But I don't know if he likes me much so I think I need to give the man some room. If he asks then I'll stay. If not I'll go home."

"This is so weird." Lori laughed.

"I met his wife the other day." Andrea said, ready to get off the topic of her new found sex life.

Lori's eyes widened. "I forgot he was married."

"She's a real bitch." Andrea muttered.

Just then they heard the front door open and Rick call out. "Lori?"

"In here." She called back. Her face fell as she remembered the news that she was about to dump on Rick's plate. Rick and Shane came in then, greeting both women with smiles.

"Shane, can you give me a lift to the Dixon's so I can pick up my car?" She asked.

"Dixon's? You mean Carol's?" He asked dryly.

"Whatever. Get over the girl, Walsh. She's clearly head over heals for Daryl. Can you take me or am I walking?"

He sighed and scratched his head. "Fine." He grumbled.

"I'll see you tomorrow for lunch, okay?" Andrea gave her a reassuring smile. Lori just nodded. She had that nervous look in her eye again. Andrea didn't know why she was so reluctant to tell Rick about the baby. Rick really was a great guy. He was going to be in love with the idea of being a father.

~H~

Merle snatched the last piece of pizza just as Daryl was about to grab it. He bit off a huge piece and then gave his brother a closed mouthed grin. "Did ya want this?" He offered him the slice, causing Daryl to glare even more.

Carol leaned over his shoulder and snatched the slice out of his hand. Taking a bite of her own before she sat down between the men. Pizza night was 'eat in the living room' night.

"What the hell?" Merle grumbled around a mouth full of pizza.

She shrugged. "You shouldn't be an ass to your brother." She took another bite.

Merle would have shoved her off the couch but sure enough Buck was watching them and then he'd bitch for four hours if he did anything to Carol.

"When are you plannin' on callin' this guy?" Buck asked.

Merle watched her as she glanced up. He knew that she didn't want to do this and he didn't blame her, but there was no fucking way in hell anyone was going to hurt her. Not as long as he was there. Even if she did steal his fucking pizza.

Daryl had it easy. Carol was always there. He found himself feeling depressed. He had gotten used to Beth being around all the time. She was really starting to get used to the way things were around here and then her damn daddy had to go and throw a fit. He loved Carol and hanging out with her was great but she wasn't a substitute for Beth. Just like Beth would never be a substitute for Carol. Right now he liked Beth better. She'd never steal his food.

Carol looked up at Buck and then shrugged. "Are you sure we should do this?" She asked.

Buck nodded. "Yep."

A knock sounded at the front door and Merle was the first one to get up to answer it. He'd had enough drama for today. He was tired of it. Buck would get her to call the freak and then Saturday maybe they could kick his ass. Maybe run over him with their bikes. That sounded like fun.

He opened the door and frowned. Beth was standing there, arms crossed over her chest and her large blue eyes full of tears.

"I wanna stay here." She muttered. "If I don' then I'm gonna rip Maggie's hair out."

Instead of letting her inside he walked out onto the porch and pulled the door shut. "I thought your daddy wanted ya home tonight?" He asked as he led her to the porch swing.

She wiped at her eyes and sat down, tucking one leg under her and facing him. She snorted. "Yeah, right. They wanted me home tonight so they could have a Dixon intervention. Maggie even had the nerve to tell my daddy that after stayin' here he needed to have me tested for drugs and then he needed to stop by the womens clinic on his way there to get me a pregnancy test." She wiped more tears away. Her face more angry than he'd ever seen it.

That stung. Her spending so much time with him was really making her look bad. No matter how much he had changed the reputation he'd aquired over the years wasn't ever going to go away and she was the one getting hurt because of it.

"Maybe ya need to stop comin' around so much, Beth. If it's causin' so many problems at home."

"Do ya want me to not come around anymore?" She asked after looking at him for a long moment.

He shook his head. "No. But I think it might be better for ya if you stayed away a while." He hated telling her that. He didn't want her anywhere else.

"I ain't never seen any drugs in this house. You've never laid a hand on me. You ain't tried to get me into bed and you ain't tried to get me outta my clothes. People ain't never gonna stop talkin' about you, Merle. You're gonna have to accept that. I have. I know who you are. Who you really are, and I don't care what everyone else thinks."

He bit the inside of his lip and leaned his head against the wooden slats of the swing.

"Do you want me to go back home?" She asked in a quiet voice.

He turned his head to look at her. Hell no he didn't want her to go home. He wanted her right the hell where she was at. But he didn't want her to get hurt over him. And that was what was going to happen every single time anyone saw them together. Being a good man meant that you had to sacrifice. You had to think about other people instead of always thinking about yourself. That's what Daryl had always done and hell, he was the best man Merle had ever known. He wasn't going to be the cause of this girl fighting with the people that she loved.

The sun was setting, cicadas were droning on and on in the trees, he wanted to crawl in a hole somewhere. "I think it would probably be best if ya did. I ain't gonna be the reason you fight with your family."

Her eyes teared up once more and then she looked down at her hands. "I'll go ahead and go then."

"Ya need a ride or somethin'?" He asked, avoiding her eyes.

"I think Glen was heading over there soon. I'll just go ask him for a ride."

The hurt in her voice made his chest clinch up. But this was the best thing she could do. He nodded and stood up. She followed him to the porch steps. "Maybe I'll see ya around sometime, Merle." She said in a hushed voice and then without looking at him she was walking away.

He sat down and watched her go. He saw her hand move up to her face a few times and he knew she was crying. What the hell just happened? She wasn't his girlfriend but he felt like what other people must feel like when they go through a break up. This was bullshit. More than bullshit.

When he saw her disappear through Glen's front door he stood back up. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anybody so he slipped up the stairs and to his room. This just turned into a really shitty day.


	44. Chapter 44

**Sorry about all of the sadness that I dealt you guys in the last chapter. This chapter sort of revolves around Merle. It isn't an exceptionally exciting chapter but I cracked up writing some parts of it so hopefully you guys have a good laugh. Or at least chuckle vaguely. Haha. The end is sort of fluffy. Just a tiny bit. I hope you enjoy! Thank you for reading! Have a great Saturday!**

Chapter Forty Four

Merle lay there with his hands laced behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He should have been doing something else. Anything else to keep his mind off of bullshit that he didn't really want to think about. He should have been working on that new bike. Instead he stayed right where he was, sulking like some big pathetic baby.

He thought about how he felt this morning when he woke up, from a full nights sleep, with no pain. No sweats. No tremors. No hallucinations. He'd been proud of himself. Now he just felt stupid. It was stupid to be proud of something like that when the only reason he had fought through all that was because he'd gotten himself hooked to the drugs to begin with. He'd gotten himself hooked to drugs, done all kinds of awful backhanded shit. What right did he have to be proud of himself for dropping a habit that his dumb ass never should have picked up to begin with?

Now was kind of worse. Now he was clean, people still hated him, and he actually gave a fuck that they did. That girls daddy had every right in the world not to trust him. Hell, if he had a little girl of his own and he found out that she was spending time with a man like himself he would kick her ass. He didn't blame them. He blamed himself for being stupid enough to think that maybe he could be with a girl like that. Like he was good enough for someone like her. The sad truth was, he just wasn't. And no matter how many years he stayed clean, he never would.

"Merle?"

His eyes flicked towards the door at the sound of his name. Carol was leaning into his room, she looked worried. Of course she did. They expected him to go shoot up at the drop of a dime. "I'm fine, Carol." He muttered, his voice rough.

She frowned and came into the room, shutting the door behind her. "Who was at the door?"

His eyes moved back up so he was staring at the ceiling once more. "Beth."

He looked at her again when he felt the mattress move. Now she just looked confused. "Where did she go?"

He shrugged. "She had Glen take her back home."

"I don't understand." She said quietly.

He shook his head. "I don't guess ya would, Carol."

"Tell me what happened, Merle." She said as she tugged on his arm. When he finally moved it she curled up next to him with her head on his shoulder.

He blew out a breath and looked back at the ceiling. "She got cornered by her sister and her daddy when she went home. Maggie said some mean shit to her. Her daddy don't want her anywhere near me." he shrugged.

"She came here to break up with you?" Carol asked, lifting her head off his shoulder and forcing his face over with her hand so he would look at her.

"She couldn't break up with me, dummy. She wasn't my girlfriend. And she came here cause she wanted to stay. I sent her home."

Her frown deepened and she raised up even further. "Why would you do that to her?"

He shook his head. "I ain't no good for that girl. You know that. She was cryin' from all the shit her sister said. And her sister said what she said because of me."

"Merle, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say. You know sending her away like that just broke that girls heart. How could you do that?"

"I ain't gonna be the goddamn reason she fights with her family. I ain't never gonna be the kind of person that that girl needs. Goddamn, don't you ever know when to just leave people be?" he growled. He didn't want to hear this shit right now. Beth liked him, big fuckin' deal. She was twenty years old and chances were she was gonna like a lot of other mother fuckers too before she found somebody that was right for her. "Get outta my room."

She narrowed her eyes. "No. You've fought too hard to just let this happen just because you think you don't deserve her."

"Get outta my room or I'm gonna throw you out." God, she was never gonna shut up.

"No."

There was only one way he knew that she would leave him alone. "Buck!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. "Carol wont get outta my bed!"

"I can't believe you just did that." She hissed and then actually smacked him in the head. Really fucking hard.

"You asshole!" He growled and then shoved her. "Ooops." He forgot that he was a lot stronger when he was off the drugs. "You alright down there?" It was an accident but he had shoved her right off the bed. Now Buck was really going to kick his ass.

She shot up off the floor before he could even peer over the edge of the bed to see if she was alright. Her face was red and her eyes were flashing angrily. "You son of a bitch!" She yelled. He barely had time to roll away from her as she launched herself at him.

She went to hit him but he managed to grab her by the wrist, he was on his back and she was looming over him like some insane person. As soon as he grabbed one wrist she snaked out with her other hand and smacked him again, this time right in the temple.

"Get the fuck off me, Carol. What the fucks wrong with you!" He swatted her hand away before she could hit him again but she was fast and he couldn't seem to get a hold of both of her hands. He finally gave up and used his forearms to block her attack but then the crazy bitch punched him right in the stomach.

"That's it!" He growled. He did the only thing he knew to do. He'd never hit her. But he wasn't about to let her kick his ass either. He grabbed a hand full of her hair and pulled.

"Ouch! Merle, let go!" She growled.

"Get the fuck off'a me and I will!" He yelled, making sure he wasn't hurting her too much, just enough for her to know he meant business.

"Fine." She held up her hands so he let go of her hair but then she hit him again.

"What the fuck are you two doin!" Buck roared.

"It's about fuckin' time!" Merle yelled as he blocked her again with his forearms.

Suddenly she was gone. He felt her weight being lifted off of him so he sat up. Daryl had her around the waist, dragging her towards the door and her crazy ass was still trying to get to him.

Merle grabbed a pillow from behind him and flung it at her, nailing her right in the face. This only made Daryl's job harder.

"Goddamn it Merle!" Daryl grunted. "Carol calm the fuck down."

"Merle, what did you do?" Buck asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Nothin! She hit me."

"You shoved me off the bed, you jack ass!" She growled but she looked like she was losing steam. Daryl still had his arm around her waist.

"Because you hit me!"

"I hit you because you're an idiot." She snapped.

"Carol, did you hit him?" Buck asked and then he shook his head. "This is fucked up. This is about the most fucked up thing you two have done and believe me, it's a long goddamn list. Fightin? You ain't twelve years old. You ain't brother and sister. But every fuckin' time I turn around I feel like I live in a fuckin' juvenile detention center! Both of you need to grow the hell up!"

"He even pulled my hair!" She argued.

"You're twenty four years old Carol. Twenty four. Act it!" Buck said sternly.

Her mouth dropped. "What about him?"

"Merle, it's time to grow the fuck up. No more bullshit." Buck said.

"Tell her to stay the hell out of my business." Merle grumbled. He couldn't believe she had actually attacked him. And he was sure if she knew that Daryl was laughing behind her she'd be pissed at him too. "The fuck you laughin' at, little brother?"

She turned. "Daryl it isn't funny. If you two knew what he did you'd want to kick his ass too."

"What the hell did you do Merle?" Buck asked again.

Merle was getting pissed off again. He wasn't about to get into this with Buck and Daryl. They wouldn't get it. "I didn't do anything." He grumbled and then laid back down. "For a house this big why are y'all always on my back? Go on somewhere."

"He broke up with Beth tonight." Carol said as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against Daryl.

"What? Jesus, boy!" Buck stared at him like he was crazy.

"Merle, that's gotta be the dumbest thing you've ever done." Daryl said as she shook his head.

Carol sighed and gave Merle a sympathetic look. "Beth got into a fight with Maggie and her dad tonight because of Merle and now Merle thinks that he isn't good enough to be with her."

"Why don't you shut your big fuckin' mouth, Carol?" Merle growled.

"Because I love you, even though you pulled my hair, and I think that anybody would be lucky to have a man like you. And it makes me sick that you don't see that."

Merle glared at her but he felt himself soften a little at her words.

She must have seen that she was working him over because she just kept going. "You didn't save her from anything tonight Merle. I'm telling you, you've hurt her bad. She cares about you a lot. She cares more about you than you think. She would rather be with you than listen to her dad or her sister."

"She's right Merle." Daryl said. "You've fought a hard fuckin' battle. Don't nobody but us know the shit you've been through to get here. You deserve that girl more than any other dumb shit that ends up going after her."

The doorbell rang, causing Buck to growl. "Go on and answer that, boy. I gotta stand here so Dumb and Dumber don't go at it again."

"Buck, that's mean." Carol muttered.

Buck sighed when Daryl yelled up the stairs for him. "No more fuckin' fightin'. You hear me?"

"We wont fight. Go ahead." Carol gestured towards the door and Buck reluctantly left the room.

Merle sat up then. He couldn't get her words out of his head. Is that what he'd done? Hurt the girl? All he'd wanted to do was make things easier on her. Make a decision for her so she wouldn't have to make it herself. He scooted over to the edge of the bed and swiped his hand across his face.

He looked down at his boots.

"Merle?"

He looked up. Carol was standing in front of him now, he hadn't even heard her approach. "The fuck am I suppose to do now?" He asked.

She put her hands on his shoulders and leaned down so her forehead was pressed against his. "You need to go get your girl. You need to show her daddy and her sister that you aren't what they think you are."

"And what the fuck am I am suppose to do if you're wrong and Beth don't even really give two shits whether I'm around or not?" He kept his voice low.

"That isn't gonna happen." She smiled and then pulled away from him.

He stood up and followed her towards the door. "I still can't believe you fuckin' hit me. I feel sorry for my brother. You're crazy."

"Your brother loves it when I get crazy." She grinned.

Merle snorted. "I don't care what Buck says. It's you and Daryl who are the real freaks."

~H~

Buck made slow work of the stairs. His bike pretty much did him in. He was sore all over. He was still shaking his head at the absurdity of these fucking kids. Fighting. Him and Daryl had to break up an actual fight. This was what made peoples dads drink. And they weren't even kids! They were grown!

He saw Andrea by the door and he felt a smirk creeping onto his face. Daryl wasn't anywhere around, which wasn't surprising. He was probably off somewhere, laughing till he puked over what they had walked into upstairs. Poor Merle. The look on his face had been priceless.

"Ya miss me or somethin'?" He winked.

She offered him a sarcastic smile of her own. "Came for my car." Her smile turned into a frown as she studied him. "You've overdid it, haven't you? You look like you're in pain." The frown changed into a look of genuine concern.

He scoffed. "I've been shot, stabbed, tazered, hit by car, had the claw end of a hammer stuck in my back and been hit with more inanimate objects than you could probably name, sweetheart. I'm just fine. Just a couple scratches is all."

She took a step closer, eyes narrowed as she studied him. "What were you doing upstairs? I thought Carol banned you to the guest room."

He shrugged. "Had to go break up a fight."

"Merle and Daryl were fighting?"

He shook his head. "Merle and Carol."

"It was an argument right? Surely they..."

"She was kickin' his ass and he was screamin' for his daddy. Swear to Christ I worry about them two."

Andrea hid a smile. "You're serious, aren't you?"

He sighed. "Fraid I am, darlin'. These fuckin' kids drive me crazy."

Just then he heard footsteps on the stairs and turned to look over his shoulder. Sure enough Merle and Carol were headed their way, walking close, talking to each other like nothing had ever happened.

"I'll be back later." Merle called as him and Carol rounded the corner.

"Hey," Buck called.

Merle turned around, looking annoyed. "What?"

"Where the fuck ya goin'?" Buck asked.

"Goin' to try to fix what I fucked up tonight." Merle muttered.

Buck felt a surge of pride. "Good boy. I'm proud of ya."

Merle smirked and then took off down the hall.

Once they were alone again Buck turned back to Andrea. "So ya just come to get your car or was ya waitin' on an invite to share my bed again?" He watched her face carefully. He wanted her to stay. He'd argued with himself all day about it but finally just said fuck it. He liked her. He liked arguing with her and he liked it when he was able to make her laugh and he had definitely liked waking up with her this morning. He was getting soft, he knew it.

"You want me to share your bed again?" She countered as she crossed her arms over her chest.

God, she was such a bitch. Why couldn't she just say yeah and that be it. Why'd she have to answer a question with a question? He crossed his arms over his chest, unconsciously mocking her stance and then winced. Goddamn he was hurting. "Yeah, I do."

She blinked, clearly surprised. "Okay."

"But I gotta warn ya, darlin. If you're only here for the lovin' then ya may as well go on home. I ain't fit enough for fuckin'." He winked.

"God, Buck." She grumbled as she walked past him. "You really do make me sick sometimes."

He grabbed her by the wrist before she could get far and pulled her back. He glanced around quickly to make sure there wasn't anyone around and then bent down and kissed her. Maybe it made him a pussy but that's all he'd wanted to do since she left this morning.

~H~

Daryl rounded the corner and then stopped in his tracks. Carol ran into his back. He glanced over his shoulder with his finger pressed to his lips. He looked around the corner once more and they were still there. Buck and Andrea were basically making out in the foyer. Andrea's arms were around his neck and Buck had his around her waist. It was probably the strangest thing Daryl had ever seen in his life.

"That's so sweet." Carol whispered.

"It's fuckin' weird is what it is." Buck had never been a gentle guy. He was rough in every way. Daryl had seen him with women before but he never acted like this. Even the ones he'd claimed to like pretty well. There was always an edge to the way he moved around them and the way he touched them. Daryl just thought that it was just how Buck was. But this wasn't nothing like the way Buck had been.

Andrea came back down off her tiptoes but Buck just leaned down further, following her lips. She smiled against his mouth and then pulled her head away. Daryl couldn't hear what they were saying but whatever she said had Buck grinning. He put his mouth by her ear and whispered something, causing her to laugh quietly.

"What the fuck is going on?" Daryl whispered, more to himself than to Carol.

"Something private, obviously. I feel like a pervert." She mumbled as her arm went around his waist.

He looked down grinning. "Make some noise or somethin' so we can get upstairs without embarrassing the big bastard."

She coughed loudly, causing Daryl to roll his eyes at her. "What?" She laughed as quietly as she could.

"That was so obvious." He shook his head and then grabbed her hand, leading her around the corner. Sure enough Buck and Andrea were standing a few feet apart. Her face was flushed and Buck had a weird gleam in his eye.

"Hi, Andrea." Carol smiled as they hurried past them and up the stairs.

"Hi, Carol." Andrea looked like she really wanted them to go away and Daryl didn't blame her. Merle was right. The house was huge and they always seemed to be right under each others feet all the time.

He led her to their room and shut the door behind them.

"You and Merle alright now?" he asked as she went to the dresser.

"Yep. Just a squabble. I think I did get a bruise from when he shoved me off the damn bed though." She reached up and rubbed her shoulder.

"You two are crazy." Daryl shook his head and went to stand behind her. He kissed the spot on her shoulder that she had been rubbing.

"No we aren't. We're just..."

He moved his mouth to the back of her neck and his hands to her hips, pulling her back against him harder. He still felt like an idiot for what he said earlier in the car. Of all the stupid ass ways to tell a girl you loved them. Leave it to him to do it like that. But idiot or not, at least it was out there. He was afraid that she'd think that he didn't feel the same way she did. He did. He was just too fucked up in the head to tell her that.

"Aren't you tired?" She asked as she leaned her back into his chest.

He nodded then turned her around and lifted her onto the dresser, knocking things over as he did. She didn't seem to mind as she pulled his face to hers greedily. She pulled away all too soon. Looking at him intently.

"What?" He asked with a frown.

"Are you still mad? You know,about me having all those people over this weekend?"

He pecked her on the lips quickly and then stepped away from her. She hopped down from the dresser. "I ain't mad. Just didn't know if it'd be a good idea or not."

"And now?" She asked as she pulled down the covers and crawled in bed.

"Now I think you might be on to somethin'." he stripped off his shirt.

"You want to invite anyone?" She smiled as his hand went to the button on his pants.

"Nope. You're the only friend I got." He grinned.

He eyed her as he stripped out of his pants and then crawled over her, kissing her lightly before hitting the pillows next to her. He hadn't realized it until he was actually in the bed but she was right. Last night had been a real mother fucker. They hadn't gotten but a few hours sleep and the hard days work left him feeling drained physically and the stress of their incredible situation had him emotionally zapped.

He wrapped his arm around her as she reached up and turned off the lamp. "I'm so sleepy." She mumbled as she moved his hand from her stomach to her face and pressed her lips to the pulse at his wrist. She settled in closer, her back pressed against him. "Goodnight." She whispered.

"Night." He whispered back.

~H~

Merle stopped the bike at the long drive that led up to the Greene farm. He wasn't much for thinking ahead. He'd decided to come here and then he had done it. What he was going to do once he got this far was beyond him. He had no idea what to say to these fucking people. He wasn't the most eloquent guy out there. He wasn't familiar with talking to normal people. He had no idea what to say to Beth. Carol told him to tell her how he felt but he couldn't do that. He didn't know what the hell he was feeling to begin with.

"Quit stallin' pussy. You'll think of somethin' when you see'em." He grumbled to himself. God, what the fuck was he doing here? He clenched his jaw and killed the engine. They had to have heard him coming. Loud ass bike. He swung his leg over, blew out a heavy breath and then started marching across the front lawn towards the big white house.

He saw the curtain move and then the porch light flicked on and the door opened. He stopped at the bottom of the steps as Beth walked to the edge of the porch and stopped. He flinched when he saw her face. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy.

"What are ya doin' out here, Merle? For somebody that don't want me fightin' with my daddy you gotta real funny way of showin' it."

He felt like a sixteen year old. He didn't know what to say. "I fucked up." he said after studying her for a few more seconds. "I just wanted ya to know that I know that I fucked up and I'm sorry for it." God, that didn't even make any fucking sense.

She crossed her arms over her chest, staring at him hard and causing him to shift from one foot the other uncomfortably. "What do you mean, ya... fucked up?" She whispered.

He climbed the steps until they were eye level. "You're daddy don't like me. You're sister hates me. I'm alright with that. I am. All kinds of people hate the Dixons." He shrugged. "No shits given when it comes to me. But I don't want my name makin' your life harder than it has to be. Ya understand what I'm tryin' to say here?"

"You already told me that. I said okay. Why did ya have to come all the way here and tell me again?" She looked like she was going to cry again and he didn't know what the hell to do about it. He should have stayed home. He shouldn't have let Carol's stupid ass talk him into coming out here. This wasn't making anything better at all.

He was about to say something else, anything else to make her stop looking at him like that, but the front door opened and Maggie and Glen stepped out.

"What are you doin' here? Ain't you done enough already?" Maggie snapped. Glen looked like he wanted to go back into the house. Instead he offered Merle an uneasy look and then waved. Man, that boy was whipped something awful.

"What the fuck are you talkin' about? Ain't I done enough?" Merle looked over when someone else came out.

"What's goin' on out here, girls?" Hershel Greene himself hobbled out the door on his crutches. Fucking great. Merle couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly. When Hershel's eyes met his his face settled into a mask of disapproval. "What are you doing here, Merle. Didn't you send her away from your house already?"

So that's what Maggie had meant. Beth being upset was his fault. Never mind the fact that them and their big fucking judgmental mouths were the whole goddamn reason for all of this.

"How many times you met me, Hershel?" Merle asked suddenly as he decided to get it all out. No sense in him holding back. They had already made up their minds about him. Might as well let them know that he had a few opinions of his own.

Hershel glanced at Maggie for a second and then met Merle's eyes once more. "I don't believe we've ever been formerly introduced, if that's what you mean."

Merle nodded. "That's exactly what I mean. So why is that, since you don't know me at all, you have any place givin' Beth so much shit over me?" Maybe he should have tried to word that better. Fuck it. He was beyond caring at this point.

"I've heard enough about you to know that you aren't the kind of man she needs to be spending much time with. I know what kind of company you keep." Hershel said.

Beth's eyes studied Merle's until he moved them to stare down Hershel once more. "You must have heard a lot then. I've heard stories myself, Doc. Seems to me like you used to be a pretty close friend of the bottle. Am I wrong?"

Maggie narrowed her eyes and took a step forward. "Don't you dare act like my daddy ain't no better than you."

"It ain't an act. He ain't no better than me, little girl. You best remember that next time you run your mouth. What makes him better than me, huh? The fact that he's had more clean time under his belt than me?" His voice was cold and Maggie actually took a step back.

"Merle, I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak to my daughter that way." Hershel said in a quiet voice that barely contained his anger.

"And I'd appreciate it if ya showed Beth the same concern. I'm clean. Ain't been for long, I wont lie to you, but I'm done. She ain't been around any drugs. And she don't need to make no trips to the free clinic either. I ain't touched her. Not like that. Can't say the same for Glen here when it comes to Maggie, but I ain't gonna start throwin' stones."

Maggie's mouth dropped but Merle wasn't done. Not by a long shot.

"And the worst part is, out of the three of you," He gave Maggie and Hershel both a long hard look, "Beth is the only one that can even throw stones at all. She ain't done anything wrong. It's easy for the two of you to forget your own sins when you look at somebody like me. Pass judgment on me all ya want, your opinion of me don't mean a damn thing as far as I'm concerned. What pisses me off is when you hurt _her _just to make yourselves feel better. And that's all you're doin'. Next time y'all file into that church house, do some fuckin' prayin' for yourselves. I sent her home so y'all would leave her be. Because I care about _her_. And I care about her cause she's better than people like you. She ain't never looked down on me no matter the shit people tell her. _That_, Hershel, is the way a person of_ faith, a man of_ _God _is suppose to be. I'd take bein' a lowlife Dixon any day over bein' a judgmental, self servin' hypocrite that'd hurt somebody that ain't done no wrong just cause I was stupid enough to convince myself I'm better than everybody else."

Merle's hands were shaking by the time he was done. Maggie was looking at her feet, hopefully shamed into shutting her mouth for once. Hershel was looking at Beth who was now staring at Merle with wide eyes.

Merle cleared his throat. "I'm done here. Beth, I'm sorry about earlier. I'm a Dixon. That should be enough of an excuse. Sometimes we do dumb shit. And Dixons can admit when they've been a dumbass."

He turned around and stalked down the steps. He didn't know if he'd accomplished anything tonight, but he felt better anyway.

"Merle?"

He looked over his shoulder. Hershel was coming down the steps. He must have mastered those crutches pretty quick.

Fuck. If the old man hit him he wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it. Even if it was self defense Beth would probably hate him for beating the shit out of her daddy. "I ain't got nothin' else to say to ya, Hershel. I've said my peace."

"Well, I'm not done." Hershel said angrily. He stopped about a foot away from Merle. Maggie and Glen filed back into the house and Beth sat down on the top step.

"What? Ain't nothin' you got to say to me gonna mean a damn thing. What ya need to to is forget arguin' with me and go apologize for hurtin' your little girl." Merle growled.

Hershel nodded and then sighed. "I plan on it."

Merle narrowed his eyes but didn't say another word.

"I was a drunk. A pretty mean one. Your daddy knows." Hershel muttered, his eyes taking on a far away look. "It was my first wife that brought me back from all of that. A woman is a powerful creature when she wants to be."

Merle thought back to earlier when Carol was trying to kick his ass. Then he was reminded of Beth punching that woman right in the face that day Carol had been in her first fight. He nodded and then smirked. "That's true."

"Beth is a special girl, Merle. She see's the good in people when they can't even see any good in themselves. Her mama was like that. I'll give you the same respect that you gave me. I wont lie to you. I know your past, and even though I got one of my own, you ain't good enough for her. Just like I wasn't good enough for her mama. Nobody is gonna be. But no matter what I say she cares about you something fierce."

Merle watched him closely but kept his mouth shut so Hershel went on.

"She's grown. I can't tell her what to do. But you're right. There's no need in hurtin' her over this and that's all I'm doin'. All I can ask is that your careful with her. She's got a big heart and I'm damn near scared to death that you're gonna be the one to break it."

Merle shook his head but Hershel just smiled sadly and turned to hobble away. He watched as the old man stopped to talk to Beth for a few seconds. He didn't know what he was waiting there for but eventually Beth stood up and hugged her dad and then Hershel disappeared into the house. She hesitated a second before she was off the porch and then hurrying towards him. His stomach twisted into knots when he realized everything he had said while she was standing right there listening to him.

She didn't say a word. Not one. But she did wrap her arms around his neck and kissed him just like he'd kissed her the night before. For the first time she was the one to finally pull away.

"You comin'?" He asked as he took her hand.

She grinned and nodded and let him lead her to his bike. She held on a little tighter than she usually did as they took off down the drive but he didn't mind at all.

**I hope I was able to redeem myself for the way I ended that last chapter. And for all of you Maggie fans, don't worry. I'm not going to make her be the wicked sister for much longer. I like Maggie too! Next chapter will have more of everyone else! Hope you liked this!**


	45. Chapter 45

**Sorry if this seems rushed. But I'm kind of rushed. It's kind of a filler! I wont be home today so I'm not sure if I'll get to post the next chapter tomorrow or not. I'm leaning more towards not but I will try! **

**I don't get to do a lot of reading on here anymore because I always seem to be writing but there are a few I try to keep up with. You folks should really check them out. There's a really sweet high school AU by axelrocks called Snake. She's evolved so much as a writer since starting this story, it's a beautiful thing to see! I love it! It's my favorite! Peta2 is currently working on a story called To the Edge and Back that is brilliant! She's a talented lady and I think you would really enjoy her writing. I know I do. ldyjaydin is working on an AU that I think you might find really interesting. It's set in the old west and one of the most original stories that I've ever read on here. She's an amazing writer and it's an amazing story! Check these stories out if you have time. They are great!**

**There are more but I really do need to get myself ready to go play in the rain! Thank you all for reading! Next chapter should be the cookout. It gets interesting ;) Have a great day!**

Chapter Forty Five

Jenna was pissed. She couldn't believe she had to talk to this weird son of a bitch but she knew she had too. He had been disguising his voice by talking in this whiny whisper that ate at her fucking nerves. She had acted like an idiot at first. Throwing threats at the son of a bitch while she was tied to a bed. She had acted like she deserved her last name. She still hadn't begged him when he had came back down. There was a reason she was still alive. He needed her for something. And if there was anything that she was good at, it was using those that would otherwise use her. She would get out of this.

The last thing she remembered was being inside Milton Mamet's house. He was at the top of her list of suspects and she was wanting to do some snooping while he was out. She had been keeping an eye on him for a few days. She knew he was meeting up with some friends and would be out a while. He had an easy lock to pick. Of course everyone had an easy lock to pick. She smiled to herself. Despite her grim situation at the moment she could still let herself feel smug.

She'd started sleeping with some big shot detective in New Mexico. He was a real dumb shit. Completely blinded by pussy, just like most men were if a woman knew how to use it right. She had gotten her hands on quite a bit of useful merchandise. One that she held on to was a high tech lock release gun. She's sold a lot of the other stuff she had aquired. But she'd held on to that handy little fucker.

She was losing her train of thought. Whatever that asshole had her sniffing was messing with her head. She was pretty sure it was Ether.

So she'd been snooping around in Milton's house. She'd had a pin light. He was about as dull as a fucking brick. She hadn't been able to turn up anything. Nothing. Then her phone had rang but before she could answer it someone had grabbed her from behind and shoved a fucking rag over her face. Next thing she knew she was blindfolded and tied up. She was allowed bathroom breaks but he stayed with her the whole time and he would make sure to give her a few whiffs of those fumes before he took her. He was keeping her all drugged up. She wasn't a fan of drugs. Hadn't been for a while. She liked to be in control of things. People that were fucked up all the time weren't in control of anything.

But she wasn't a stupid woman. Oh no. She was a smart one and she was going to get her ass out of this and when she did she was going straight to Buck Dixon. Him and his fucked up daddy complex. He had a thing for Daryl's prissy little piece. Poor Daryl. Her baby boy had grown into a real dumb ass. But she couldn't help but feel something for the kid anyway. It wouldn't be long until he had to share the girl with his daddy and his asshole brother. She didn't know why she gave a shit. Especially after the way he had been treating her since he found out she was in town. Ungrateful little bastard. But she did care. Even though she didn't want too.

She'd tell Buck who was after his little princess and Buck would do what Buck did best. Make the man disappear. But this time she'd know he was going to do it and she'd make sure she got herself some incriminating evidence. She knew Merle killed Ed Peletier. She knew Buck dumped the body for him. She also knew that there was not one spec of evidence left to collect. She could run screaming to the cops all she wanted but they wouldn't ever find a damn thing to link Buck or Merle either one to the crime.

But they weren't as stupid as she usually implied they were. Well, Buck wasn't anyway. He still wouldn't risk it if he knew that she knew about Ed. But after he killed this asshole she would make sure his ass got locked back up. He wouldn't get out this time.

She laughed to herself. She was drowsy. So drowsy. She closed her eyes behind the blind fold and drifted off, still smiling. She was going to win in the end. That was what she did. She always won in the end...

~H~

Carol jerked awake at the sound of her phone ringing. She groped around on the nightstand without opening her eyes. Daryl groaned and leaned over her and grabbed it.

"Hello?" He mumbled sleepily, causing Carol to smile. He sounded really cute when he just woke up. He was silent for a few seconds.

"No shit? Ain't nothin' ya need me to do inside?" He asked as he leaned up on one elbow.

She rolled over so she was facing him, burrowing into his chest. He switched ears so he could wrap an arm around her.

"Well, guess we'll see ya tomorrow for the cookout then, right?" He said, sounding less sleepy now. He hung up shortly after that.

"Who was that?" She mumbled. She sighed loudly when his hand started rubbing her back slowly.

"Morgan. We got the day off." He said into her neck.

"Why?" She asked.

"Listen." He chuckled.

Once she focused her ears she could hear rain sheeting against the windows. She frowned. "What about our party?" She sounded whiny, even to her own ears. She got an actual laugh out of him this time.

"It's your party. And if it's still rainin' we can bring it inside. We got enough room."

She sighed. "It'd be harder to find a killer that way."

"You're crazy." he muttered into her hair.

"You love me anyway." She yawned.

"I do." He said quietly.

She raised her head, still not opening her eyes, he knew what she wanted. He kissed her quickly.

"Go back to sleep. You're delirious." He sounded like he was about to laugh again, causing her to smile against his lips.

She felt like she was about to doze off again so she forced her eyes open and ignored the sleepy sound of the rain. She missed him terribly. He was always there but with work and all the other things hanging over their heads they were both usually caught somewhere in their own heads. "I miss you." She whispered.

He pulled his head back and looked at her. "How the hell can ya miss me when I'm always with ya?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. There's always so much going on. Even when it's just me and you our heads are a million miles away. I miss you."

He held her tighter. "Wont be like this forever. Soon as all this crazy shit is over we'll be bored outta our heads. You'll be hoping for some action."

She kissed his neck. "I don't think there can be a lack of action where you're concerned, Daryl. You're full of action."

~H~

"I smell bacon." Merle mumbled before he even opened his eyes. He was talking to himself but then he felt someone shift in his arms. At first his tired mind wasn't very quick to remember last night and he thought that Carol was was the one moving. Someday Daryl was going to get real sick of this and end up stabbing him or something.

He didn't open his eyes until a few seconds later when he remembered last night. Carol didn't sleep with him anymore. His eyes snapped open and he was greeted by the back of Beth's blonde head. Everyone had been asleep when they had came in. He had locked up and led her straight to his room. She looked nervous for a minute but she'd relaxed after she realized he hadn't brought her there to actually get her out of her clothes.

She had still looked a little sad but when he would ask her what was wrong she would just shake her head. Finally, after what had seemed like hours to him but probably really hadn't been, she asked him if he had meant all those things he had said to her dad. He hadn't known what to say as he lay next to her. He felt embarrassed over his impassioned speech and his shameless admittance to caring about her so much. But he had nodded. What else could he do?

She had grabbed him by the face then, pulling him closer to her with a strength he didn't know a little thing like her could posses, and kissed him... and didn't stop for a long long time. He'd ended up halfway on top of her, allowing his hands to roam down her sides, her hip, her leg, but that was all. He held himself in check, never fully letting himself get pulled into kissing her. Making sure he wasn't going to lose his head and try to do something stupid.

And now she was curled up next to him in a little ball while his big frame was wrapped around her, her hand clutching his to her chest as she slept. He could have stayed like that for a while. He really could have, but his stomach rumbled loudly as the smell of breakfast made its way all the way to his room and seeped under his closed door.

Beth laughed quietly when his stomach rumbled again. "You should be a big fat man Merle. As much as you think about food."

He grinned and tugged her closer. "You'd still like me, even if I was a big fat man. I'd still have all this charm." He growled into her neck.

She laughed again.

The door opened then, causing Merle to look up, his expression annoyed. Carol and his brother came in, both grinning.

"Get the hell outta my room!" He grumbled, instantly wary of the grins on their faces.

Carol, in true Carol fashion, stepped right up onto his mattress and walked over next to him, dropping down on her knees and bouncing like an idiot. "I made breakfast." She grinned.

"Go to work!" He groaned, pulling the blanket over his and Beth's heads.

Daryl yanked the blanket away and balled it up in his arms. "Get the fuck up. It's rainin', Carol cooked, and you've had pieces of a bike in that garage that's been screamin' your name for days. She made biscuits and gravy too. Buck's gonna eat everything if ya don't hurry the fuck up."

Merle rolled over onto his back and sat up. "I'm buyin' myself a lock for this damn door."

"Now you know how we feel." Daryl grumbled.

Him and Carol left the room, leaving the door wide open because they were assholes like that. Merle didn't even bother with a shirt. He was in a hurry now, knowing Buck could eat a whole fucking cow by himself. Him and Beth hurried down the stairs.

Carol had really overdid herself. The dining room table was stocked with food. It had been a while since they had actually sat down and eaten a meal together. He felt like a dumb ass but he actually missed it.

"Boy, why didn't you put a damn shirt on? We're tryin' to have a decent family meal here and now I gotta eat my food and look at your fuckin' nipples." Buck rolled his eyes but everyone else at the table cracked up.

Merle just shrugged. "don't look at'em then old man." he looked down and flexed his pecs. "I got nice nipples. Fuck off."

"I don't think I'll ever get bored around you all." Beth smiled as she grabbed a plate.

Andrea, who was sitting particularly close to Buck, nodded. "I don't think that's something anyone will have to worry about. Getting bored at the Casa Dixon." She took a sip of juice. "It could not happen."

"Well, good to know we have a knack for entertainin'." Merle grinned. "Well, me and Buck anyway. Daryl over there is borin' as they come."

Carol shook her head. "I have to disagree." Her face flushed, everyone noticing right away as her eyes went to her plate. They all laughed again.

"Shit, Merle and Carol should have their own fuckin' sitcom. Did ya tell Beth here that Carol kicked your ass last night, boy?" Buck asked innocently.

Merle looked outraged as Beth giggled next to him. "She did not! She attacked me like a nutcase."

"You shoved me off the bed." Carol muttered, clearly embarrassed. "And then you pulled my hair out."

"You hit me. And then you attacked me. You started the whole thing." Merle argued.

Beth and Andrea shared a wide eyed look.

"Merle was screamin' for me to come save him from her. Daryl had to pull her off of him." Buck laughed and then winced.

Beth glared at Merle. "I should beat you up now. You sent me away and then I miss all of_ that_? It's unforgivable, Merle."

Daryl finally decided it was time to join the conversation. "They were fightin' over you. Merle's all in love with you and shit but he's big bad Merle and he's on this 'do the right thing' kick. Pissed Carol off."

"You fuckin' asshole!" Merle choked, his face turning three shades of red.

"Oh, here we go." Buck shook his head and swiped a hand over his face.

"It's true." Daryl shrugged.

"It is?" Beth looked from Merle to Daryl, eyes wide and surprised.

Carol glared at Daryl. "Daryl, leave him alone. That isn't funny."

"I ain't laughin'." Daryl said as he bit into a biscuit. "It's the goddamn truth. He's just too pussy to admit it."

"That's enough, boys." Buck grumbled.

"I'm gonna kick your ass, little brother. I swear to God." Merle glared.

"So it's not true?" Beth asked, the face of wide eyed innocence.

Merle was going to kill that little bastard. Beth was looking at him like he was a freak and Daryl looked smug as fuck. At least Carol was pissed right along with him. He hoped she kicked Daryl's ass for this one.

Andrea cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention. "So, tell me about this bike, Merle. Is it going to be like the ones you three already ride?"

Merle huffed but went ahead and took the out that Andrea was offering him. Beth had already gone back to her breakfast. His brother was in deep shit though. Carol was still pissed. He knew he could count on her to have his back. "This one will be a little different than ours. It'll have a heavier tank on it and I ain't gonna give it ape hangers or nothin'. All the parts I've scored so far are for a rocket 3 roadster so I wanna keep it clean like that."

"Wow. I have no idea what you just said. How much do you think you'll sell it for when you get it done? I might be interested."

Merle just about choked. "You're a fuckin' lawyer, Andrea. Lawyers don't ride bikes." He snorted.

"How much?" She said, face straight and tone serious.

Daryl chimed in, "They go for around fifteen grand brand new."

He looked up and met her eyes. "Seven grand."

She didn't even blink. "When will it be ready?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. She couldn't be serious. "Might take a while to score the rest of the parts I need. If I get'em quick then I'd say a month maybe."

"I'm gonna need riding lessons." She deadpanned.

Merle nodded, his heartbeat picking up a notch as everyone at the table watched their exchange in wide eyed silence.

"Who do I write the check out too?" She asked.

"Carol." He said quickly.

"Merle, I..." Carol began.

"Leave'em be, baby girl." Buck said, quiet authority ringing in his voice.

Andrea just nodded. Breakfast was quieter after that. Merle ate quickly, more than ready to get his ass in the garage. This would be the first time in his life he would be able to contribute. He'd never thought that anything he ever did would amount to shit and now maybe he would be the one to get them out of their financial slump. Carol and his brother wouldn't have to worry anymore. Surely this would be enough to catch everything back up and then there would be enough left over so he could start getting more parts for another bike.

Merle glanced up and met Daryl's eyes over the table. Daryl gave him a nod and a small smile before he went back to his breakfast.

~H~

Beth and Carol cleared the table and went to the kitchen to clean up. Merle and Daryl took off to the garage. Andrea went to go help the other girls but Buck grabbed her by the hand before she could move. He wasn't going to ask her in front of everyone else but he was going to ask her now.

"Why'd you do that?" He asked. He didn't sound angry. He wasn't angry. He was genuinely curious.

She sat down sideways in her chair, facing him. "What? I was thinking about buying a motorcycle. Been thinking about it since the first time I got on the back of yours."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Bullshit."

She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him. "What? You think I'm gonna be satisfied cruisin' around on the back of your bike? Forget it Buck. I refuse to be your old lady, or whatever it is you people call your... whatever the hell I am to you. I'm an independent woman."

"Us people?" He asked. He was trying hard not to laugh at her. This was really some funny shit.

She scoffed and then gestured towards him with a wave of her hand. "You know. Big mean men on your bikes and what not."

"We ain't members of no MC, darlin'." He said. "So ya can't be my ol' lady."

"Well, thanks for clearing that up for me. Either way, if I'm going to be spending time with you guys, I want my own bike. You all say Merle's the best." She shrugged.

"Ya did it cause ya know that them kids are strugglin'. I ain't stupid, woman." He still had hold of her hand, he hadn't realized that until now so he dropped it. "You didn't have too. I was gonna come up with the money to get'em back on track."

"That isn't true. I did it for myself." She said as she stared him down.

He shrugged and leaned back. "Who would thought that such a cold thing like you could be so goddamn sweet?"

Her eyebrows shot up and she crossed her arms in front of her. "Cold?" She snorted. "That isn't what you were saying the other night, Buck."

He smirked. "I don't recall sayin' much. Had my mouth full for a while."

"Oh my God. You are one foul son of a bitch, do you realize that?" She rolled her eyes.

He nodded and grabbed her hand again, pulling her towards him. "And you like it."

She kissed him hard, causing his head to slam into the back of the chair as she settled herself on his lap, his hands instantly went to her hips. Her arms slid around his neck and the kiss became softer. He was glad she did what she did for Carol but he still couldn't see her actually driving a motorcycle. As soon as he was all healed up he was definitely going to see her on his, though. There was a lot of fun shit could be done on a bike.

She pulled her face back. "What are you grinning about?" She asked suspiciously.

"Not a thing, darlin'." He said as he kissed her again.


	46. Chapter 46

**Good morning! I know I told you guys that the cookout would be in this chapter but I had to take care of a few things first and wasn't able to get to it. You may or may not like this chapter much. I don't really like it which means you guys probably will! That is usually how it works. It feels pretty choppy to me. The next chapter is a bit more exciting. Thank you all for reading. I'm not sure how many chapters I have left before the big reveal. I'll let you know when I know. You know how it is with me. =) Have a great day!**

Chapter Forty Six

The rain was relentless. There was no thunder and lightning. No howling wind. It simply rained. Sheeting straight down without a lull. Andrea had to meet Lori for lunch so she was gone by noon, promising to be back before dinner. Buck made his way out to the garage after that, knowing that he should check to make sure Merle hadn't killed Daryl yet.

Carol and Beth set to work on preparing for tomorrows cookout. There were a lot of things to do to pass the time on a rainy day. The weatherman said the rain would be over sometime during the night. That was a relief. Carol really was ready to find this guy and she wouldn't be able to keep her eyes on everyone as much inside the house. She was sure that it was Philip. She was almost positive. But she wanted to see for herself. She wanted to know for a fact it was him. And when she did they would figure out what to do about it.

"Did you invite your sister and Glen?" Carol asked Beth as they worked at the island. "Or your dad?"

Beth gave her a sheepish smile. "I wasn't sure if they would be welcome. They really ain't been the nicest people. Not my sister or my daddy, anyway. Glen is alright I guess."

Carol frowned and sat down the knife she was using to peel potatoes. "Beth, Merle cares about you a lot. I don't think he's ever cared about a girl before. I'm almost positive he hasn't..."

"He loves you." Beth said with a shrug. "A _lot_."

Carol snorted and waved her hand dismissively. "That doesn't count and you know it. Merle is... well, Merle is my brother. I'd gladly take a bullet for him. He cares about you in a different way. You know that. I don't see the two of you ending this thing you have any time soon. Our families have to get used to each other."

"My daddy hates the thought of me being with him." Beth muttered, a small frown forming between her eyebrows. "My sister, she means well, but she thinks he's gonna ruin my life."

"He isn't the man everyone thinks he is." Carol said, unable to hide the anger in her voice.

"I know that." Beth sighed.

"Call them." Carol said suddenly.

"Now?" Beth asked, looking at her sharply.

Carol nodded. "Anyone that has given them a chance has been surprised. They are good men. All three of them. Your sister and your daddy are gonna see that one way or another."

Beth looked hesitant but then squared her shoulders. "Your right."

Carol smiled. "I usually am."

~H~

Daryl looked up just in time to catch Merle glaring at him. Buck was lounging in the car with the door open and his head leaning against the seat. Merle had turned up the stereo as soon as they got out to the garage, turning it up about as loud as it would go and refusing to say a word to Daryl.

With Deep Purple's song Hush blaring in his ears Daryl ignored Merle's glares and busied himself with polishing some chrome. Merle was such a fucking baby sometimes. Daryl hadn't been aware that Merle had the same hang ups about all that love talk as he had himself. If he'd known that he probably wouldn't have said anything. Then he thought about how Merle had spilled to Carol that he'd never even had sex before and he felt less guilty.

All that love stuff wasn't as bad as he had thought it would be anyway. He loved Carol. He was able to admit it to himself and he wasn't having as much of a hard time as he had been when it came to admitting it to her. He trusted her, and with that trust came a sense of calm. She wouldn't use anything like that against him. Besides, how could he not love a girl that would attack Merle Dixon and make him scream for his daddy? He chuckled.

He winced as a sharp elbow plowed into his ribs. He shot Merle a dirty look. Merle was scowling. It wouldn't do any good to say anything to him since the music was so loud he wouldn't hear him anyway. What a dick. Daryl just shook his head and went back to work.

It was good to see Merle feeling so good about himself, even if he was a raging asshole. This was going to go a long way in getting them straightened out. After Merle sells the bike the only problem they have left is paying off the crazy hospital bills from Buck's attack. After that they could at least keep food in the house and the bills caught up. He hadn't been surprised at all when Merle told Andrea to write the check out to Carol. Regardless of what people said about him, no matter how many people Merle had put in the hospital, no matter how long he was on drugs, when Merle was sober he was one of the best people in the world. Daryl always knew that. That was one of the reasons he had always done what he did to take care of Merle. If the tables were turned and it had been Daryl in Merle's shoes, Merle would have taken care of him. They were brothers. That was just how they were.

He was feeling worse about what he had said to Beth as he thought about all of that. He shouldn't have done it. He reached over and turned the music down. Earning himself another glare from his brother.

"If ya don't like the music then get the fuck outta the garage." Merle growled.

"I shouldn't have said what I said." Daryl muttered as he went back to his polishing once again.

Merle stared at him and then grunted. "Wouldn't expect no less from you, asshole."

Daryl felt his eyes narrowing but he shook his head, refusing to raise to the bait. He was trying to smooth things over with the dumb ass. He wasn't going to fight with him over something as stupid as telling Beth something that Merle wasn't gonna tell her himself. It was dumb. Merle would either get over it or spend the rest of the day pissed off at him. Daryl didn't particularly care either way.

~H~

Jenna's head was finally starting to clear. Twice now the man had been back. He must have been a real idiot. He asked her to help him. He kidnaps her, ties her up, refuses to let her see him, and then asks her to help him. Yes, he was most definitely a total fucking moron.

He promised to let her go if she agreed to help him get his hands on Carol. Alive. He wanted her alive and he wanted Jenna to hand her over. He said that there may still be hope for the girl, even though he had witnessed some of the things she had let Daryl do to her. It made Jenna want to laugh but she had kept her face expressionless. She nodded and smiled at the correct moments and assured him that she wanted nothing more than to see the girl as far away from her son as she could get her.

This had thrilled the man. So much so that he had slipped up and unintentionally forgot to disguise his whisper with that annoying nasally drawl he had been using. She was almost sure she recognized the voice but she didn't give any indication that he had messed up. She even ranted on about how disgusting Carol and Daryl's relationship really was. And she assured him that she knew even more than he did. She made it a point to pretend like she had witnessed it all herself. She went into detail. She even made sure that she included Merle and Buck. He was appalled at this revelation. Jenna could tell and she was thrilled. That little girl wouldn't last ten minutes with this psycho. She would make sure of that. She would have him so furious with Carol that he would kill her quickly. She wouldn't give the man a reason to spare her.

He had left the room abruptly when she told him that she had walked in on her in bed with Daryl and Merle at the same time and then right afterwords she had slipped into Bucks room. Hell, it could have actually happened for all she knew. But the murdering idiot had nearly ran out the door when she started going into more detail about perfect little Carol's double life. God, the guy was a freak. And he was going to get rid of the girl so she wouldn't have too.

She wasn't a murderer. She wasn't opposed to murder but that game didn't seem like fun. There was too much room for mistakes. She didn't soil her hands with things like that. It was just too damn risky. Usually the thought of a man that was powerful enough to easily take someone elses life was a bit of a turn on to her. It was bold. Bold was sexy. Buck had been a very bold man. He wouldn't hesitate to kill back when they had been younger. She had never loved him, especially after he knocked her up with Merle, but she had used him for as long as she could. And she thoroughly enjoyed fucking the guy. No one she had been with sense could live up to him in the sack. If you wanted someone dead and then wanted your brains fucked out then Buck Dixon was the man to call. Other than that he was a useless sentimental piece of shit. And inside he was surprisingly weak. He made her sick.

But this psycho did nothing for her, even if he could kill easily. He was a real nut case. He reminded her of a retarded version of Hannibal Lecter. She laughed out loud at this thought and then clamped her mouth shut. He didn't need to know she was laughing at him. He didn't like that. She already found that out.

As he ran away from her perverted description of Carol having a four way with three men, he had assured her he would be back later to go over the details of his plan with her. She didn't expect him to come back for a while. She sighed to herself. She really wanted to get the fuck out of the room she was stuck in. She wanted a shower and she was about to die for a smoke.

~H~

Lori crunched into a pickle spear, causing Andrea to grimace. They had come to Donavan's for lunch since that way she could kill two birds with one stone. She could visit Dale and have lunch with Lori and then get her ass back to the Dixons sooner. She was planning on keeping her eye on Buck as much as she could. He wasn't taking his condition as seriously as he should have and it bothered her. He would end up hurting himself a lot worse if he wasn't careful and she was going to make him be more careful.

"You're daydreaming." Lori mused as she dipped a fry into a large glop of ketchup and popped it into her mouth.

"No I'm not." Andrea muttered as she poked at her salad.

"You spent the night there again?" Lori asked.

Andrea sighed heavily. "Yes. I did."

Lori's eyes lit up. "Did the two of you..."

"We slept, Lori." Andrea said before Lori could even ask.

"Together?" Lori grinned.

Andrea shoveled some salad into her mouth and rolled her eyes. They had definitely slept together. He hadn't managed to keep his hands to himself, neither had she, but she wasn't going to have sex with the man again until he was healed up. It was too risky and she wasn't going to be the reason he hurt himself. Much to his dismay. She smiled slightly. He really could be a hell of a charmer. And it surprised her how sweet he actually was. She was never sure how he was going to react to her but he always managed to surprise her.

"You're blushing again." Lori smiled.

Andrea shook her head, a small smile of her own creeping up on her without her even wanting it too. She hated that she had judged them so harshly at first. They were some of the best people she had ever met. They cared deeply about the people they were close too. They were funny and they were protective.

"I told you that Rick would be thrilled." Andrea said, changing the subject quickly.

"He was very thrilled." Lori beamed. "I've never seen him so happy. With that news and new leads they have on this killer he's been..."

Andrea's head shot up. "What leads?"

"Shit." Lori grumbled. "I have such a big mouth."

"They are getting closer to finding this creep?" She asked.

"He never gave me any details. He wasn't suppose to tell me anything but I swore I would keep my mouth shut." Lori said as she looked down at her burger glumly. "Please don't say anything to anyone."

Andrea shook her head. "I wont." But she knew she was lying. She'd tell Buck.

~H~

The next morning proved to be sunny and clear. At least that was what Buck assumed since there was bright light pouring in from the crack in the curtains. He wanted to roll over but he couldn't. He was sick of sleeping on his back. He kept telling himself that it would be better. He had to get through another week and then he'd be good to go. At least the staples would be out. The pain wasn't too bad anymore. He still hadn't touched the bottle of pills that sat on his dresser. He was thinking about just flushing them. He wasn't going to take them and Merle wouldn't either. No sense in keeping them around.

Andrea sighed loudly and then pressed her back further into his side. He had one arm stretched out and she was using it instead of the pillow. She had on one of his t-shirts, nothing else. She refused to do anything too physical until he got his ass back in shape. It pissed him off pretty bad but he kind of understood. At least she cared more about his health than she did his dick. That said a lot about her character. He laughed quietly at the thought.

"You're in a good mood." She said as she rolled over to face him, eyes still heavy with sleep. She'd said no sex, that didn't mean either of them had gotten a whole lot of sleep. There were a lot of other things he could do that included very little effort physically.

"I'm a mornin' person, darlin'. What can I say?" He winked.

"I've noticed." she draped her arm over his waist and laid her head on his chest. "You're more tolerable in the mornings." He could feel her grin.

He thought maybe this should make him uncomfortable. This was the third night that she had slept in his bed. Not just that but she usually slept pressed right up against him and he usually pulled her closer when she wasn't close enough. He was a man that liked his space. It was one of the things he had in common with Daryl. That boy really hated people in his space. Well, until he met Carol. Now the two of them shared space. It was their space, not just his. God, he hoped like fuck that he wasn't turning into that. He cringed at the thought as he brought his arm up and ran a hand down her back.

"We need to get up, Buck. It's Carol's big cookout and I'm sure there's a lot of crap that we could help her with.

He remembered what she had told him the night before about Rick and Shane finding some leads on this killer. He was dying to know what the fuck they had found but she had sworn him to secrecy. And then she had thanked him for promising to keep his mouth shut by showing him exactly how wide her own mouth could open.

"What's wrong?" She asked, raising her head off his chest.

He shook his head. "Nothin'."

"Then why'd your heart start pounding so hard?" She frowned.

He shook his head, eying her. "We gotta get up." He grumbled.

She tightened her the arm she had around his waist. "You sure there isn't anything wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"Just thinkin'." He shrugged.

"About?" She arched one eyebrow.

"You." He almost winced at his clumsy confession. Jesus he really was more like Daryl than he thought. What the fuck kind of answer was that? It sounded so fucking juvenile. And it wasn't even very honest. But he couldn't very well tack on what he'd actually been thinking about. She'd bitch for sure if he said, "Thinkin' about you suckin' my dick." Hell that sounded pretty bad, even for him.

"You're sweet, you know that, Dixon?" She smiled. It made him extra glad that he left the dick part out.

He scoffed and raised up on his elbows. "Let's get our asses out there and help my girl get this shit done." He griped.

She climbed over him then, lingering a few long seconds as she kissed him.

Uh oh.

He grabbed her hips and guided her forward so she was sliding over the length of him. Her breath caught in her throat and her lips parted, allowing his tongue to explore her mouth. It didn't help that she hadn't put her underwear back on. Just his boxers were in the way.

He was about to try and go for it when she pulled away and shook her head. Her eyes were wide. "Not yet."

He scowled at her and then wrapped his arms around her waist. "You're in so much fuckin' trouble when I'm finally over this shit." He whispered gruffly.

She smiled. "I'll be holding you to it."

They both looked towards the door quickly when it opened. Merle was standing there, face blazing. He looked murderous. "Get up. Now. We got ourselves a real fuckin' problem." And with that he slammed the door shut.

Andrea looked at Buck and then climbed off of him quickly, snatching up her clothes.

"What the fuck was that about?" Buck asked.

Andrea pulled on her jeans and then stripped his shirt off, causing him to groan as he pulled his own pants on. She wasn't helping matters. He snatched the shirt that she had discarded off the floor and tugged it over his head. When she had her shirt back on he grabbed her hand and walked with her out of the room. When they were out in the hallway he could hear hushed angry voices coming from the foyer. He followed the sound.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw who was there, his hand tightening on Andrea's. He heard her mutter something under her breath.

"What the fuck are you doin' here?" He growled.

Jenna took off her sunglasses and smiled. He wanted to smash her fucking face in, especially when her gaze shifted to Andrea who tensed at his side. He couldn't ask her anything with Beth and Andrea here. But he would. She was about a crazy bitch showing up here.

Both his boys looked like they felt the same way he did. Beth looked angry herself. Carol wasn't in sight. Jenna studied Andrea for a little longer, her smile dimming, before hers eyes slid back to Buck.

"Heard there's a party. Figured I would stop by and crash it." She said quietly before she looked at Andrea once more. "So, I take it you've taken him for a spin huh? Hate to say it, sugar, but that's about all that big bastard is good for. If you're smart, which I'm doubting, you'll get your fill and move on." She winked.

Buck wasn't sure what he expected Andrea to say. She was a pretty classy girl. She didn't seem like the type that would stoop to Jenna's level. Imagine his surprise when she launched herself at the older woman, knocking her flat on her back right there on the foyer floor.


	47. Chapter 47

**I am so sorry about not posting yesterday! Something came up and I wasn't able to update and I feel dreadfully guilty about that. I didn't get to everything I wanted too in this chapter. I didn't start writing it until late and I really just wanted to get it out there for you guys! I am SLACKING! But I promise it wont happen again! I have to give a big thank you to songbird1313 for helping me out a while back ago and giving me the idea to bring in another character. I hope everyone has a great fourth of July! Please be safe out there! Thank you all for reading!**

**A few of you were missing the Caryl in this story and I hadn't even realized I had been neglecting the couple. I have a bad habit of doing that. I get carried away. Hope this makes up for that. There is smut so beware XD**

Chapter Forty Seven

Carol heard the commotion and hurried down the stairs. At first she thought that it would have to me Merle and Daryl. Other than herself and Merle they would be the only two that would be fighting. She stopped when she made it halfway down the stairs. She gasped when she realized that it wasn't Merle and Daryl at all. Andrea was straddling someone on the floor and was doing a pretty good job of blocking the other persons blows.

She ran the rest of the way down the stairs and was about to try to break up the fight when she finally got a good look at the woman that Andrea was fighting with.

She spun around, facing Daryl, Merle and Buck who were watching in awe. "What the hell is she doing in our house?" She nearly screeched. Her heart was pounding and her fists were clenched. This woman had been trying to ruin her ever since the day she had met her. She had tried to get her killed and now she was in her house. Sure, it looked as though she were getting her ass kicked but that wasn't the point. The woman being here made Carol feel as though her sanctuary was being violated. And now she was beyond pissed.

"Should we break this up?" Beth asked as she leaned into Merle's side and watched the women with wide eyes.

Carol stormed over to the two women, Daryl on her heels. She touched Andrea's shoulder as Andrea was struggling with keeping Jenna's claws away from her face, but Andrea ignored her. She turned to Daryl with a nod and he grabbed Andrea under the arms and yanked her off of Jenna.

He pulled Andrea towards Buck and then handed her over. Buck had her by the hand, not letting her get anywhere near Jenna again.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Carol snapped.

Jenna pulled herself up off the floor and wiped her bleeding lip with the back of her hand. She glared at all of them. "What the hell is wrong with you people?" She snapped.

Carol glanced towards Andrea, making sure she wasn't going to try to fight the woman again. Buck had an arm around her waist.

She faced Jenna once more and felt her anger rising at the smug look the woman gave her. "I thought a girl like you would keep better..."

Carol wasn't going to listen to a thing this woman had to say. She remembered everything she had said on the phone that night, remembered everything Daryl had told her that she had done to Merle and she remembered everything she had heard about how the woman had treated Buck. They were her family and this woman was a threat.

Before Jenna could even finish her sentence Carol balled up her fist and hit her, square in the nose. She had watched Beth knock that other woman for a loop and she remembered exactly how Beth had done it. Jenna stumbled back, holding her hand under her nose to catch the blood.

"You get the hell out. _Now_!" Carol yelled.

Jenna stood there, stunned. "You don't realize what you've just done you little bitch." She sneered.

Carol strode to the door and opened it. "You leave, or we make you leave." She growled. She couldn't believe this woman!

"You really just fucked up. This is really going to cost you." Jenna snapped. "And I'll be back. I'm sure the rest of this town would be interested in finding out exactly what Merle did to Ed Peletier and the real reason no one can find him." She laughed as she held her nose.

"Get out!" Carl yelled.

Jenna stormed past her but turned before she took the steps down to the sidewalk. "I was just coming to tell you that I'm pretty sure I know who's trying to kill you. I think I'll hold onto to that info for a while, though. Maybe I'll share what i know with Daryl. After you're buried, of course."

"Go." Carol growled. She could feel her hands shaking at her sides as her blood roared behind her ears. She had never been so angry in her life. This woman really was evil. But she would get what was coming to her. She glared at her retreating figure and then she slammed the door so hard that everyone jumped in surprise.

She turned around, breathing heavily. They were all staring at her like she was crazy. Maybe she was. She stormed past them but then stopped and turned around, glaring at everyone even though they weren't the ones her anger was directed towards. "Do not listen to a word she says. Nothing. And never let her into this house again. This is our house. The one place that's safe from shit like that." She spat and then turned on her heel and headed towards the garage. She was sure there was something out there that she could break. She had a lot of stuff that still needed to get done but she would worry about that later. Right now all she could think about was getting the hell out of the house for a minute. All she wanted to do was breath.

She stormed through the house, slamming the back door on her way out. She heard it open and then close once more and could only guess who would be following her. She didn't turn around. It could have been Merle or Buck. Maybe even Andrea, but she was almost positive it was Daryl. She could almost feel his eyes boring into her back.

She didn't know how Merle and Buck were going to explain to Andrea and Beth what Jenna had meant when she had mentioned Ed. She trusted Beth and she really did like Andrea but Andrea was a lawyer for god's sake! She probably wouldn't be as understanding about_ murder_ as some people would be. Carol rolled her eyes.

She stormed into the garage. She wasn't even sure what she was doing out there. Maybe she would go for a drive or something.

She felt a hand at her back and she spun around. Daryl's wide eyes met hers as he pulled the door shut. "You alright?" he asked gruffly.

She shrugged and looked down. She hoped he didn't see the trembling in her hands. She was trying to stay calm.

"You punched Jenna right in the fuckin' nose." The corner of his mouth turned up. "That was fuckin' great."

She shook her head. She would have laughed at his expression if she hadn't still been so angry But she was angry. Maybe more angry than she had ever been in her entire life. "She was in our house." She hissed.

He bit his lip and she could have sworn that he was trying to hide a smile.

"Daryl, this isn't funny. She tried to kill me and you heard what she just said. She's isn't going to stop until she ruins us." Normally this would cause her to break down in tears but right now she was simply pissed off.

"We'll be alright." he said quietly. He put his hands on her hips and looked down at her. "You just need to calm down. We gotta get through this cookout, which was your idea, then we'll worry about that bitch. Alright?"

She stared into his eyes for a few long seconds but she didn't feel herself growing more calm like she usually did. She ran her hands down his chest but didn't stop there. She needed him. She wanted to feel better and he was the only one that could do that.

He brought his face down to hers and kissed her. When she kissed him back she hooked her fingers into the front of his pants and walk him backwards. If there was one thing that she could count on it was that Daryl would always be down for anything sexual. For a boy that had never even done it before he proved to have an insatiable craving for it. She liked to think that it was just her but it was obvious, from what she heard about the other two Dixon's, that it was, truly, something in their DNA.

She ran into something solid with her backside. When she broke the kiss long enough to glance behind her she saw that they had backed right into Daryl's bike.

He looked from her to the bike and then his eyes grew impossibly large when she shrugged and climbed on, dragging him, still, by the pants. He climbed on in front of her, his back to the handle bars and smirked beautifully before leaning forward and kissing her neck all the way up to her ear.

"You're a freak." He whispered.

She was wearing her only dress once again but there was still something in her way. She got back off the bike and shimmied out of her panties before climbing back on. He was gaping at her once more but then his eyes darkened and he ran his hands up her thighs. When they reached her hips he yanked her close. He wasn't sitting on the bike, instead he was straddling it.

He leaned over her until her back was pressed solidly against the seat, her feet on the handle bars, his mouth trailing a wet line down her throat. She closed her eyes and smiled. He would make her feel better. That was what he did. She smiled even wider and opened her eyes back up when his hands left her hips and were fumbling with the button of his pants. Her heart kicked into overdrive when his arm went around her waist and then picked her up off the seat as he straightened back up.

She wrapped her arms around his neck when he entered her. Her legs wrapped around his waist. He had more access to her at this angle, even if he was holding nearly all of her weight up with just one strong arm. He dropped her back down to the seat after a few minutes, his arm must have been about to give out but he kept his rhythm and she braced her feet against the handlebars once more.

She would never get used to this. Never be used to him. Every time was as insane as the first time. She reached her hands over her head and grabbed a hold of the bar on the back of his seat, clinging to it and chewing her lip as she felt herself growing closer and closer. She hoped no one came in. They hadn't locked any of the doors and it was only a matter of time before Buck or Merle came out to check on her.

If they did then they would just have to see them having sex on the bike because she was right there. She bit her bottom lip even harder to keep from making any loud noises. That plan failed her, however, when he once again hooked an arm around her waist and yanked her back up so their chests were heaving against one anothers. He kissed her hard to muffle a surprised scream. At this angle it changed the depth once more and she was out of her mind as the extra pressure sent her reeling. He groaned against her lips and held her tighter, crushing her to him until she was gasping desperately for breath.

He wretched his mouth away from hers and buried his head in the crook of her shoulder as he fought to get more air into his own lungs and then she felt him tense inside of her, felt the tremors rock him as he finally joined her. He nearly dropped her back down to the seat, leaning over her again and kissing her, more gently than before before lying his forehead against her chest.

She moved a little until he raised his head, a smirk on his face. "You know I ain't gonna be able to get on this bike with you again without the whole damn town noticin' that I got a hard on."

She laughed and shoved his head away from her. He pulled her up and then put himself back into his pants. She barely had her panties on when the door opened and Merle and Buck walked in.

Carol ran a hand through her hair knowing it was mused. Daryl was still sitting backwards on his bike, breathing heavily, his overgrown hair a mess. She could feel her cheeks flaming as Buck crossed his arms over is chest.

"Is anywhere safe?" He asked, as he glared at the two of them. "Is this all the two of you know how to do? It's all the time! When you're happy, when you're sad, when you're pissed off, when you're sleepy. You both need to see a goddamn counselor!"

Daryl groaned. "Figured once you started actually getting laid you would give us a fuckin' break." He grumbled as he climbed off the bike.

Carol looked at the floor. This always happened to her. It was getting the point where she expected to get caught. It was an off day when they were able to do anything without Merle or Buck showing up to ruin it. It barely fazed her anymore. She wasn't going to stand around out here and get lectured about it either. She was a grown woman and she would have sex wherever she pleased. Even if Buck did give her the evil eye every time she did it.

She was about to walk past them so she could go back to the house and take a quick shower, again, before she finished everything up. They still had plenty of time to get things in order. Merle grabbed her arm on her way by and tugged her back in front of them.

"That was fuckin' great, Carol. You punched Jenna right in the fuckin' nose. I'd kiss ya right now, I swear I would but I wouldn't wanna get my brothers di..."

"Merle." Carol raised her eyebrows. "I love you, you know I do, but if you say the words 'dick germs' I'm gonna punch you in the nose next."

Merle chewed on the inside of his lip and then grinned at her.

She walked away after glancing once more at Buck's stern face. She had the sudden urge to stick out her tongue. There was something about him and Merle that turned her into a complete child. She didn't care. She had nearly forgotten about what Jenna had said when she reached the doorway. She spun around.

"What did you say to Beth and Andrea? Did they ask about what Jenna said?"

Buck shook his head. "They don't believe a thing that comes out of that bitch's mouth."

Carol gave them a relieved smile. And then walked out into the early morning sun.

~H~

Daryl watched her walk out of the garage, eyes lingering on her ass with a smirk on his face. He was so absorbed that he hadn't noticed that Buck had moved to his side until he elbowed him sharply in the arm.

"What the fuck." Daryl grumbled as he rubbed at the spot where Buck's elbow had landed. "What the hell is with the two of you elbowin' me all the fuckin' time?"

Buck just shook his head. "We gotta get tables and shit set up out there by the patio. That girl invited the whole fuckin' town. Good thing she told'em all to bring food. We'd lose the fuckin' house and be in debt till we died if we had to buy all the food for this little shin-dig."

Daryl, Merle and Buck got everything set up in record time. There was already stacks of dry wood in the shed that Merle and Daryl set up next to the fire pit. Buck couldn't help with that part, which gave the boys a reason to hound him about being a giant pussy. He vowed to beat the shit out of the both of them when he was all better. They both laughed even though they knew if he was serious they were both basically fucked.

Daryl couldn't keep his mind on what he was doing. His head wasn't in it. It was somewhere with Carol. Typical for him. He couldn't believe that she had hit Jenna like that. He didn't think he would ever see anything like that in his life. Especially after seeing her fail miserably in the fight she had been in with one of Merle's old skanks. He had hoped she would never get into another fight. She was definitely one of those people that was a lover, not a fighter.

God, was she a lover. Love. Fuck, there he went again. No matter what he was thinking about his head always forced itself there. He needed to tell her. Not just show her. Not just agree with her when she said she knew he loved her and certainly not slip up and say it on accident like some fumbling idiot. But he didn't know how. He couldn't pull the words out of his stupid throat even when he wanted desperately too.

He had a sneaky suspicion that he wasn't the only Dixon that was having himself a rough time dealing with this new situation. At least he wasn't as fucked up as those two. Merle was like a kid when it came to all the emotional shit thanks to years of drugs. Being sober was such a new thing to him that he was behind in just about everything. He could feel things now that he couldn't feel before.

And Buck? Daryl shook his head. Buck, for all his boasting and bravado, was more locked up than his sons were. Jenna had mangled the man, and Andrea was fighting like mad for him to tear down those walls and let her in. He thought that maybe the woman was actually getting somewhere. He hoped so because she was good for him.

"The hell ya thinkin' about over there?" Buck called over his shoulder.

Daryl looked up. Buck was getting a fire started while Merle sat on the low wall that enclosed the space, plucking petals off of some sort of flowers that were growing in pots that were spread out all over the damn place. "Nothin'." He muttered as he took a seat next to Merle and then kicked his foot. "Quit fuckin' up the flowers, idiot. Carol's gonna have your ass if she catches you."

Merle picked one of the flowers and tucked it behind Daryl's ear, grinning. Daryl swatted it off. "I ain't scared of Carol."

Buck laughed. "Ain't the way it sounded to me."

Daryl glanced up then and saw Beth and Carol carrying a huge cooler towards them while Andrea followed behind, trying to balance bags of ice in her arms. Daryl and Merle went to help her out. She looked like she was struggling.

"Jesus, I can't feel my arms." She muttered as Merle took the bags from her. "Thanks, Merle."

"No problem. I figure, since you're gonna be our new mama and all, this is the least I could do."

Daryl barked out a laugh, followed by Beth and Carol as Andrea gaped at him. She smacked him hard in the arm. "You're a real ass, Merle." She grumbled. "I'm younger than you."

"I know it. Makes it all dirty and Dixon like. I can show up at your fancy law office and bum money. Call ya mom in front of all your fancy pants lawyer buddies. You'll get used to it" He winked as she glared at him.

Beth and Carol sat the huge cooler down next to one of the folding tables that the guys had sat up. It took quite a few trips to and from the house to bring out all the shit that Carol insisted they needed. Merle even snagged the stereo and an extension cord from the garage. Everyone rolled their eyes except for Beth who grinned at him.

Merle was in good spirits until the first two guests showed up. Maggie and Glen came strolling towards them, hand in hand. Maggie smiled as Beth met them half way and hugged her tightly. Maggie caught Merle's eye over Beth's shoulder and actually gave him a smile. Daryl about fell over from witnessing that one. Maggie wasn't Merle's biggest fan.

Glen seemed to be completely at ease with everyone. And he was a chatty little mother fucker. He was talking Daryl and Merle's ears off after only five minutes. Daryl was actually relieved when he saw T-dog strolling up with an easy grin and a couple bags of chips.

"Thought you was gonna cook somethin'?" Daryl mumbled as T-dog sat the chips down on the table next to the food Carol had already brought out.

"I did, Dixon, damn. Not a hello, Theodore. How are ya? You're a shitty host." T-dog shook his head.

"Shut up." Daryl grumbled as he tried to hide a grin. "If ya cooked then where the hell is the food?"

T-dog patted Daryl's shoulder. "I burned it."

More and more people poured in. Andrea had made a few invites of her own, one being a scary looking black woman that she worked with. When Andrea introduced them he learned that she wasn't only a kick ass lawyer but she just kicked ass period. She taught a self defense class two nights a week. She kind of freaked Daryl out a little but Carol seemed to take to her quickly. He thought Andrea had said her name was Michonne, but he wasn't paying a whole lot of attention.

Carol made sure she stayed glued to his side and that was fine by him. He knew that she was scanning the crowd for anything suspicious. He was doing the same thing, as was Merle and Buck. But the more people that showed up, the harder it got to keep an eye on all of them. Carol only pulled away from him when that big guy that she had known from Atlanta showed up. She hugged him, sending Daryl's teeth on edge, but he didn't say anything.

Dale was a real life saver. He hadn't brought any food to pitch in to feed everyone, he showed up with a dolly loaded down with cases of beer. That was something they hadn't thought of. Most of the crowd cheered the old man on causing him to smile sheepishly. Daryl had never seen so many upstanding citizens gathered in one place in all his life. He watched everyone carefully. Jim showed up with his friend Jackie. Rick and Lori brought Shane with them, who thought it was just fine to hug Carol, for a lot longer than he needed too. Daryl didn't think he'd ever like that guy but Carol did so he would deal with it.

Milton showed up eventually, looking around nervously until he spotted Carol. He had a ready smile for her. Andrea saw him and waved, he waved back and sat a large bowl down on the table. It didn't take him too long to join in a conversation that Michonne and Tyreese were having. Milton must have known Michonne as well.

Hershel had even ridden in with someone and was now standing amidst another group of chatting guests.

There was one person that hadn't shown up out of the throngs of people that had been invited. Philip Blake. And when he looked over towards Merle he looked up and met Daryl's eyes. Merle had noticed too.

Buck was lingering near the grill since he was the designated griller but he was watching the crowd just as closely as Daryl and Merle were. Carol finally led Daryl off towards the back of the patio where it was at least a little private. Her eyes were worried when she looked up at him.

"He isn't here." She whispered.

He hated the look of fear on her face and it was instinct to pull her closer. "He still has time. It's early. Just remember what we talked about, alright?"

She nodded and leaned her forehead against his chest. He wished they could stay that way for a while but she looked up at the same time he turned his head when they heard Buck curse out loud.

"Mother fuck." Merle growled from a few feet away.

Daryl followed Merle and Buck's gaze and then his arms tightened around Carol even more. Beth went to Merle's side, sliding an arm around his waist and Andrea shamelessly twined her fingers through Buck's, despite the fact that this caused several people to gape at the odd couple.

Philip Blake had arrived with a little girl that looked to be about ten years old and he was holding the hand of the Devil herself. Leave it Jenna to crash the party. Her parting words rang clear in Daryl's ears. If he had been carrying his bow at that moment he would have put a bolt right into the smirking bitch's eye. This was going to end badly.


	48. Chapter 48

**I'm early this time! That is always great. We are about to find out who the creep is. This is a bit of a cliffhanger but it was that or have a huge chapter and I really wasn't feeling like spending more hours sitting here. But you know that I will post in the morning again so no worries! I hope you all enjoy this one and I hope everyone here in the U.S. had a safe holiday! Thanks for reading!**

Chapter Forty Eight

Carol's heart sank as Jenna approached the patio. This couldn't be happening. Daryl's arm tightened around her but it brought her no comfort. Daryl could protect her from almost anything. So could Buck and Merle. She had all the faith in the world that the three of them would never let her down. But they couldn't protect her from this. Not Jenna and the things that she could _say_ that would ruin all of them. She couldn't let Jenna tell Rick and Shane about Ed. She had to come up with a way to stop this from happening.

Philip and the little girl were stopped by some of the other guest and was pulled into their little circle. Jenna smiled and inclined her head towards the patio. Carol glanced around but the only people close were Merle, Beth, Buck and Andrea.

"Ya wanna go say hi to your ol' man?" Merle asked Beth who nodded eagerly Beth would stand her ground when she needed too but it was obvious that todays little drama was enough to last her for a while. Before she stepped away from him she reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the lips. He watched her walk away.

Andrea looked up at Buck, her eyes questioning. He gave her a slight nod and she, too, left him standing there. Jenna was watching them now, unable to hide the smug smile on her lips. Merle stepped closer to Carols side. For the first time she saw worry on his face. This made it worse. She was going to have to end this now. To Daryl and Merle's dismay she stepped forward just as Jenna climbed the few steps.

Daryl grabbed one hand and Merle grabbed the other as Buck sidestepped so he was in front of her. None of the guests were paying them any mind other than Beth and Andrea.

"Oh, that is just too sweet. Look how protective you big strong men are when it comes to protecting her." Jenna said in a low voice.

Buck spoke before anyone else could. "You need to give this up. Whatever your game is, end it. This ain't gonna end well for you. You think I'm gonna stop if I get locked back up?" He shook his head. "I ain't gonna stop. There is a lot of people that want you dead. You need to remember that. All I got to do is give the word. Another thing, can't nobody pin no murder on someone without any physical proof. You know that there ain't none. You're wastin' your time with your bullshit threats. But mine are real. You keep this up and you ain't gonna live to see it all through.

"You don't have the balls, Buck." She said, keeping her voice as low as she had before. "You couldn't do that to me and I know it. You're using that blonde big shot just like you used all the rest of them. You use them to get me out of your head. It's pathetic, but true. You wont do anything to hurt me. Not like that."

Carol flinched at the ice in her tone and the way Buck stiffened under her quiet verbal blows. She never truly understood Buck until now. From the look on Daryl's face, he never had either. But it was clear that Jenna was, or had been broken under that woman's cruelty. But that wasn't the way it was anymore.

Buck shook his head slowly. "See, that's where your wrong. And I think you know that." His voice was eerily calm. "You ain't nothin'. You're shit to be scraped off the bottom of our boots. You even lost your golden boy." He nodded towards Daryl. "He fuckin' hates you. He knows you ain't nothin' but a weak, manipulating, lying whore. He knows it just like I've known it for quite a while."

Her smile froze on her face as her eyes flicked towards Daryl and then back to Buck. "Whatever you say, Buck."

Carol was finished with this. She wanted it to be over. She wretched her hands out of Merle and Daryl's grasps and took a step forward until she was standing at Buck's side. She glared at Jenna. "What do you want. Just tell me what the hell it's going to take to get you to leave us alone."

"I don't have any plans of ever leaving you alone, sugar. I don't fucking like you. I hate him," she gestured towards Buck, "and I wouldn't miss this ones relapse for the world." She grinned at Merle.

"Jesus, what the hell is wrong with you?" Carol asked in a disgusted tone.

She shrugged.

Carol was ready to punch her in the nose again. She couldn't see the evidence of their earlier fight on Jenna's face. This was disappointing. She wished she would have hit her more than once. She had never met a creature so evil in all her life. Ed had been bad but he hadn't been evil. Like Daryl said, he was nothing but a dumb as shit wife beater. He wasn't like Jenna. Jenna was made of the stuff of nightmares. "You know who wants to kill me." It wasn't a question.

Jenna shrugged once more but finally nodded. "Well, he probably wouldn't have killed you. Not really. He wants to keep you as some sort of pet but I think now he just wants you dead. I convinced him that you were sleeping with all three of our boys here. That pissed him off. Now you'll probably just end up dying. Good news is, I think he'll just kill you. He isn't a rapist or anything. I think pussy scares him or something." She chuckled.

"It's Philip, isn't it?" Carol asked, fear turning her blood to ice at what Jenna had just confirmed.

Jenna grinned but took a step back. "You think I'm gonna tell you after what you and Buck's bitch did to me today? Oh, you are adorable. I can see why these men here have taken such a liking to you." She shook her head and took another step away. "I was willing to work with you, for his sake." She nodded towards Daryl. "You blew it. All I'm gonna tell you is that he's here. Keep your eyes peeled sweetheart." She turned and walked away.

Buck growled and took a step like maybe he was thinking about going after her here in front of half the town but Carol put a hand on his arm.

"Let it go." She whispered. She looked up at him and met his eyes. "For now." She realized then that there was a little bit of monster inside her as well. She wanted Jenna gone. At whatever cost, she wanted the woman away from her family. Even if that meant killing her herself. Not that she would ever really be able to do that. But still. She wanted it done. And it made her sick to think that way.

She dropped her hand from Buck's arm and instantly felt an arm go around her waist.

"You noticed anybody actin' weird yet?" A gruff voice said in her ear.

Her hand covered Daryl's as it pressed flat against her stomach and she shook her head. She leaned her back into his chest, feeling some of the tension drain out of her at his proximity. "I haven't seen anyone acting strange." She whispered. "I still think it has to be Philip."

Buck looked at her sharply. "No it ain't." he growled.

She frowned. "How do you know that? It's the only thing that makes any sense."

He shook his head. "That's exactly why it ain't him. And I could see it in her face when you asked her if it was. She was too happy that you would guess him. Like maybe you'll be so focused on him that you'll let your guard down around everyone else."

Carol felt her heart sinking. She had been almost so sure that it was the mayor. Even with the things that didn't add up. But Buck was right. Even she had noticed the gleam in Jenna's eyes when she had asked her if it was Philip. Buck had to be right. So who was it?

Carol turned and looked up at Daryl. "I'm so tired of this." She whispered harshly as his other arm wrapped around her.

He looked down, eyes searching hers. "This is gonna end tonight."

She nodded. She knew that he didn't mean that tonight would be the night that they took this to the police. Tonight wouldn't be the night that someone would get arrested for this. Tonight was the night that someone was going to die. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach.

~H~

_Jenna was already deviating from the plan. She wasn't suppose to be talking to any of them. She was suppose to have shown up and waited until she could speak to Carol alone. Instead she approached them all. He should have known he couldn't trust her but he was getting desperate. He needed to calm down and stop looking so suspicious. _

_He looked up towards the patio and noticed that Merle was studying him suspiciously. His breath caught in his throat and he held it there until the big man's eyes shifted on to someone else. This was too much. If he stayed then he was surely going to lose his nerve but of he left that would raise suspicions also. Why had he trusted her? Had she somehow recognized his voice, even though he had disguised it? Surely not. She would have known who he was instantly._

_He had given her instructions on what to do and how to act at this party. She walked right past him, winking. His heart started pounding in his ears when suddenly she stopped and turned around to face him. Her expression was knowing. He had messed up. He had messed up very badly. _

_"Change of plans, asshole." She grinned. "This is my game now."_

~H~

"I have to go to the bathroom." Carol argued.

Daryl and Merle both glared at her.

"I have to pee for Gods sake! I'll be right in the house!" She placed her hands on her hips.

Daryl and Merle shared a look and then nodded. Daryl grabbed her by the hand and pulled her along towards the house, Merle walking behind them. Beth had been preoccupied with her sister and father to pay them much attention. She gave them a small smile and a wave as they passed her. Merle winked.

"This is a little much, don't you think?" Carol asked as they went in through the back door.

"Nope." Daryl muttered as he pulled her down the hall and then up the stairs.

"Are you both going to come in and watch?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow at them once they all three stopped outside the bathroom door.

"Of course not." Merle snorted.

"We'll keep our backs turned." Daryl said sarcastically. "Ain't no different than you two getting naked together."

Merle chuckled and then crossed his arms over his chest. "Go on, darlin'. We'll wait right here."

Daryl would have laughed at her exasperated face but he just wasn't in the mood for laughing. He was in the mood to hand over whoever it was that was tormenting them to Buck and let the big bastard handle it. Another part of him didn't want Buck's hands to get dirty. The thought of Buck going back to prison made him sick. They all needed him._ He_ needed him.

Carol slammed the bathroom door in their faces.

"What are we gonna do? We gonna walk her to the bathroom forever? Never let her outta our sights again? We can't keep doin' this, baby brother. I think it's time to get Rick and Shane in on this."

Daryl felt his chin drop at Merle's words. Merle Dixon wanted to get the cops involved in this? He'd been running from the law for most of his life and now he wanted to run _to_ them? It wasn't even something Daryl could comprehend. "We can't do that." He whispered.

Merle shook his head angrily. "This ain't the fuckin' time to take the Dixon road. We tried and we ain't figured out shit. We just about ain't gotta choice."

"And what if they do find out that this was the last place Ed was? What if you and Buck missed somethin'? I ain't havin' you goin' to fuckin' prison for murder, Merle."

"I'd go prison before I let anything happen to her." Merle growled.

Daryl blinked in surprise. He wasn't used to this Merle. "You ain't goin' to prison and ain't nothin' gonna happen to her." he put his hands on his hips. "You got a fuckin' future now, Merle. You ain't gonna throw all that away. Not for some psycho."

"I wouldn't throw it away for a psycho. I'd throw it away for her. Ain't nothin' wrong with that."

The door opened and Carol stepped out. "You guys ready to escort me back to the party? Or do you plan on tying me to my bed and standing guard till I'm an old woman?"

Daryl laced his fingers through hers and they made their way back outside, studying every face they passed. Most of them were still chatting and laughing in groups here and there, all of them holding drinks or plates of food. Jenna was chatting with Dale, Milton, Philip and Jim. She threw her head back and laughed at something one of them said. Daryl wanted to puke. He wasn't worried about Milton spilling anything. Buck had had a talk with him already.

"Holy shit, would ya look at that." Merle muttered as he shot out an arm to stop them.

Buck was sitting on the wall, not paying any attention to anything around him. All of his attention was focused on Andrea who was standing between his legs, her arms around his neck. Buck had ditched the t-shirt he had been wearing, probably because of the Georgia humidity mixed with the heat from the grill, and was now sporting a white tank top. His arms looked nearly as big as Andrea's waist.

"That's something you don't see often with Buck, I'm guessing?" Carol asked.

Daryl shook his head and glanced at Carol. "Buck don't like people in his space. Especially woman, not unless it's you."

"Damn. Maybe I really should start callin' her mom." Merle muttered.

Daryl frowned. "The hell you talkin' about?"

Merle didn't answer. He was still watching Buck with raised eyebrows. Merle wasn't the only one glancing at the pair either. It seemed like this was an oddity to everyone. People weren't openly staring at them but they were certainly getting their fair share of shocked looks from the people that noticed them, not that Buck or Andrea noticed any of them looking. The only person that was gaping in shock was Jenna. More than shock, really. She looked like she wanted to rip Buck apart.

But Buck was completely oblivious as he placed his hands on Andrea's hips. Something she was saying had him shaking his head and grinning at her.

"They are such a weird couple. But they are so cute together." Carol whispered as she watched them.

Merle and Daryl snorted, causing her to elbow them both.

"He's gonna kiss her out here in front of god and everybody." Merle said just as Buck did that very thing.

He pulled her closer locking his arms around her waist. She seemed to melt against him, her hands trailing up the back of his head.

"Goddamn. Is it weird that this is kinda turnin' me on."

"Gah! What the fuck Merle!" Daryl grimaced.

"Merle, that's disgusting!" Carol hissed. She slapped his arm.

He scoffed at them both. They decided to avoid the patio for now, mingling with everyone else instead, even though Daryl hated that. Him and Merle were suspicious of almost everyone and he was afraid that it showed in the way him and Merle were acting but he couldn't help it. He kept her close, either making sure she was pressed close to his side or holding her hand, sometimes to the point where she was flinching from the force of his grip. Several times he had to force himself to ease up on her.

When the sun started to go down his paranoia worsened. Merle, after Daryl bitched at him for thirty minutes, finally went off to talk to Beth. Buck and Andrea stayed on the patio, no longer all over each other but definitely keeping close.

Carol smiled and waved as Lori, Rick and Shane approached them. Lori was grinning and then looking over their shoulders towards the patio.

"Who woulda thought that?" Lori laughed as she gestured towards Buck and Andrea.

"Not me." Carol laughed.

Rick stayed close to Lori. He nodded towards Merle and Daryl. "This is pretty fantastic. You guys did a hell of a job." he said.

Daryl just shrugged. "All her idea. I don't do parties." he smirked.

"Well, you can't tell it." Lori said.

They chatted for a while, Daryl still unable to focus on the conversation as he watched everyone around him with narrowed eyes. The tiki torches gave off enough light to see by but the shadows pressed dangerously close. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Carol nearly screamed and yanked her hand out of his.

"A baby? That's amazing!" She grinned and then hugged a beaming Lori.

God, even the thought of that had him cringing. Rick was watching him and when he met the other man's eyes Rick was chuckling. Daryl felt like he needed to say something. "Congratulations?" He didn't mean to make it sound like a question but that was how it came out.

Carol rolled her eyes but Rick and Lori laughed.

"You don't have that paternal drive yet, Dixon?" Shane asked suddenly, sensing Daryl's discomfort.

Daryl narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "That shit ain't for me."

Shane glanced at Carol who was still talking to Lori but looked over at Daryl and smiled, shaking her head.

"What if she wants kids in the future? You gonna just tell her to go to hell?" Shane asked.

"No." Daryl was glaring now. What was this guys problem? He suddenly realized what his problem was. He was still jealous. "Imagine the fun I'd get to have tryina make one?" He winked and then grabbed Carol's hand once more.

He had to take a leak and he wasn't going all the way to the house to do it. He waved at Rick and Lori and a glowering Shane as he led her away.

"Daryl, where are we going?" She asked as she hurried to keep up with his strides.

"I gotta piss." he grumbled.

"But the house is the other way." She said, like he didn't already know that.

"I know." He walked her to the shed and then slipped behind it. The party was still in full swing about twenty yards away. People were starting to get louder the more they drank. Daryl was ready for it to be over with. He was going to ambush Jenna. If she really knew who was doing this then she was going to tell him. Even if he had to beat it out of her. He was done playing games.

He just about tripped over something in the dark. The only thing keeping him from falling on his face was Carol's hand.

"What the fuck?" He growled. He kicked out at whatever it was and then he grabbed her and pulled her backwards. His foot hit what felt like a human leg.

"What is that?" Carol cried.

He was about to answer her when he felt something press against his face from behind. He inhaled and then felt the world tilt under his feet and then he felt nothing but the darkness as it gathered around him. The last words he heard was Carol gasping.


	49. Chapter 49

**Good morning! I'm still sorry about the cliff hanger! This is the big reveal. I was hoping to have more shock value but I couldn't get it right. I hope you still like it. I'm running on empty so maybe that has a little bit to do with it. I've had about 3 hours sleep but I refused to go to bed and not update.**

**A lot of you want to see how their lives play out for a while after this killer business is over so even after the climax I will still carry these crazy kids on for a little while. There is more I can do. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that this chapter isn't a big disappointment to any of you! Thanks so much for reading! Have a great morning!**

Chapter Forty Nine

Buck kept scanning the crowd but he couldn't seem to find Daryl or Carol anywhere. They could have been anywhere. Knowing them two they had ran of to the garage again or back up to the house. It had been hours since their little ride on Daryl's motorcycle and those two went at it like rabbits. He shook his head and grimaced. But they wouldn't have ran off. Daryl was smarter than that. He wouldn't do something like that. Well, he definitely would but he wouldn't do something like that tonight. Not with everything going on.

Merle looked up over Beth's head and met Buck's eye. One look at Buck and Merle started glancing around himself.

Andrea looked up, a frown creasing her brow. "What's wrong?" She moved until she was standing in front of him once more.

He shook his head but his eyes kept moving over the people in the crowd. There wasn't quite as many as there had been before but most of them were still there. His hands absently ghosted up and down her waist.

"When are you guys gonna let me and Beth in on this mystery of yours?" She asked.

His eyes met hers and held them. "I don't know what your talkin' about, girl." He grumbled.

"Buck, it's my job to read people. Something big has been going on around here and you four are doing a really fine job hiding it but it isn't working so much anymore."

He narrowed his eyes. "That what you're doin'? Tryin' to figure us out?"

She shook her head. "No, but it has crossed my mind a time or two."

Was that what this was to her? Just her playing detective and trying to figure them out? His stomach knotted up at the thought and he felt himself tensing. His head was getting way to tangled up over this woman.

"Stop." She said quietly.

He scanned the crowd once more, purposely not looking at her. "Stop what?" he grumbled.

She forced his face over with her hand. "You don't have to tell me anything, okay? I just want you to know that you can trust me. You don't have to hide things."

He felt himself relax slightly under her intense gaze and then he nodded, letting her kiss him. He had let her do that a lot today, in front of the whole fucking town. Hell, he had even initiated it quite a few times. He was strangely okay with that. He even knew that everyone had gaped at them at first. He hadn't cared. He still didn't care.

"I can't fuckin' find'em."

Buck looked up at Merle who's eyes were wide and frantic. He stood up and put a hand on Merle's shoulder. He was wound up like a spring, nearly vibrating under Buck's touch. "When was the last time you saw'em?" Buck asked, trying to keep his own nervousness out of his voice.

Merle shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe twenty minutes. I fuckin' told him we needed to stay together. He just bitched about it and finally I left him alone. That was stupid. I shoulda stayed with them anyway. Ain't like he ain't always bitchin' at me about somethin'."

Buck shook his head. "Ain't your job to look out for everybody, boy. I ain't been all too vigilant myself." he glanced back at Andrea. He didn't like the look in Merle's eye. There was a fragile quality there like he wasn't keeping his shit together very well at the moment. "Who was the last people you saw'em talkin' too?"

Merle looked like he was thinking pretty hard ad then he finally shook his head. "Last I saw'em they were talkin' to Rick and Lori."

Buck nodded and headed in the direction he had seen the Grimes last. Beth caught his eye as he strolled towards them. He gestured towards Merle with his head and she nodded. She was by his side in an instant. Merle looked like he relaxed once she was there. Buck tried to keep himself calm even though he was starting to worry. Daryl and Carol should have shown up by now.

"Buck, what's wrong? Why is it such a big deal that they aren't right here? Maybe they are up at the house."

Buck shook his head. That's all he was willing to offer her at the moment.

Beth just clung to Merle's hand, not asking any questions but looking a little scared by Merle's strange behavior.

"Hey, Rick." Buck greeted the man casually. Or so he thought.

Rick looked up and his smile dissolved. "Is everything alright?" he asked with a frown.

Buck nodded and felt a soft hand slip into his. He didn't have to look down. He knew the feel of that hand by now. "How long has it been since you seen Daryl or Carol?"

Rick and Lori shared a look and then he shrugged. "It's been about thirty minutes, maybe. What's goin' on, Buck?"

Buck ran a hand over his head and shrugged. "Just ain't seen'em in a while is all. With all the craziness goin' on around here, makes me a bit nervous if ya know what I mean."

Rick gave a curt nod and then he looked past Buck and Andrea. "Shane!" He called, loudly.

Buck glanced over his shoulder as Shane was strolling towards them.

"You haven't seen Carol around since a little while ago, have you? Or maybe Daryl?" Rick asked.

Shane frowned and shook his head. "Not since Daryl was talkin' about makin' babies."

Buck glared. He was gonna have to have a real long talk with that boy. His annoyance was trumped quickly, however, at Shane's next words.

"Seriously, last time I saw them they were headed out that way somewhere." He pointed off towards the back of the property.

Buck narrowed his eyes and stared off in that direction but all he could see was darkness. He knew that other than the shed there wasn't anything back there. "Y'all got a flashlight?" He asked, not directing the question to anyone in particular.

Rick nodded and then him and Shane started off towards the house and the driveway beyond.

Maybe that's all they were doing. Maybe they had just snuck off to mess around somewhere out there. Maybe Daryl was overwhelmed with the size of the crowd. He seemed to be the one with the biggest problem with social situations out of the three Dixon men. Maybe they were making babies. But something was telling him that this was more than just them sneaking off. Something was wrong. Neither of them would do that to him or Merle. They would know that would end up worrying them to death and neither of them would want to listen to the bitching he would give them for a stunt like that.

"Buck, is everything okay?" Andrea asked, clearly worried now by the way he was acting. "Please just talk to me."

He looked her in the eye and finally sighed heavily before shaking his head. "I don't believe it is. I don't believe it is at all."

His honesty caused her to blink in disbelief. Hell, he couldn't believe it himself. "Is there anything I can do?" She whispered.

He shook his head and then let go of her hand. "I think you might wanna go ahead and crash at your house tonight." He said quietly.

She looked hurt as she looked back over her shoulder. That wasn't what he was trying to do. He just didn't think she would want to be apart of this drama and he knew drama was coming. He saw Rick and Shane heading towards them again and then blew out a breath before he kissed her. Rick turned on the flashlight and followed Buck towards the shed. Andrea was still on his heals.

As they approached the shed Merle caught up with them. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and he turned. "Merle, maybe you should take Beth and Andrea back up to the party, alright?"

Merle glared at him and then dropped Beth's hand. He stormed past Rick and Buck, his face a mask of fear and anger. Rick shined the beam further so Merle could see where he was going. When he reached the back of the shed he stopped and then took several steps back. He nearly stumbled but kept himself on his feet.

Buck felt as though the ground had fallen out from under him. His heart lurched in his chest. There was someone back there and Buck was sure that whoever it was was dead. The only two people that he knew of that wasn't accounted for was Carol and Daryl. If it was either one of them behind that shed then it was over. He wouldn't be able to live through something like that. Carol wasn't his but that didn't mean he loved her any less. And Daryl? Did the boy know how sorry Buck really was for the shit he had done. Had the boy forgiven him? Really forgiven him? Did he have any idea how much he meant to him? He didn't think he had ever even told the boy he loved him. He stopped in his tracks as Rick and Shane hurried over to the other side of the shed.

Buck couldn't even look at them. He turned his back to the men and to Merle. It couldn't be them. It couldn't be either of them. There was no way. Him and Merle couldn't survive that.

"Oh Jesus." He heard Rick mutter.

Andrea put a hand on his arm. "Buck, please tell me what the hell is going on?"

Buck just shook his head. His ears ringing. They had found a body.

"She hasn't been dead very long." Shane said quietly.

Carol.

Buck felt his gorge rise and he leaned over with his hands on his knees, breathing deeply. Andrea's hand was on the back of his neck now, trying to offer him some sort of comfort.

"Is it Carol?" Merle choked and Buck wished then he could cover his ears. He didn't want to hear either of them say her name. He couldn't stand the thought of either of them confirming one of his worst fears.

"Merle, I'm real sorry to have to tell you this." Rick said, his voice sympathetic.

Buck felt like he was about to be sick. He couldn't get enough air into his lungs.

"It's your mom. I'm sorry." Shane mumbled as he clapped a hand on Merle's shoulder.

"We need to keep this area clear until the detectives can get here. Shane and I can keep the area secure. Don't let the crowd know that this has happened. Half the damn town is here and everyone will need to be questioned." Rick said, his tone taking on an edge of authority.

Buck's breath rushed out of his lungs. It wasn't Carol. And it wasn't his son. So what if Jenna was dead? No one would miss her. The best thing that could happen to anyone that knew her was her demise. He raised up from his semi crouch and turned to face Merle. It was a sad sight. The relief on Merle's face matched the relief that Buck felt himself and it never should have been this way. This was the boys fucking mama. And he didn't care. Didn't care a bit.

"Buck, I'm so sorry." Andrea breathed.

He frowned at her. She must have thought that he had been upset because Jenna was dead and he had somehow known it. Without thinking he pulled her to him, his lips by her ear. "Don't you be sorry that the bitch is dead, ya hear? She woulda done everything she could to ruin you."

Her arms stiffened around his neck. "You can't mean that, Buck. She was your wife. She was the mother of your boys." She said quietly.

Buck shook his head. "I'll tell ya all about her some day. But right now I got a lot to do." With that he stepped away from her and then turned to face Shane. Rick was on his cell phone, probably calling in the murder.

Shane looked up, his face sympathetic.

"Whoever did this, they have Carol. Daryl too. I'd put money on it." Buck said, eying the other man. Shane's face fell at Carol's name. Buck was right. He had guessed the guy had a real bad thing for the girl but he'd never said anything. If he cared about her as much as he looked like he did then maybe this would be easier. "We need to talk."

Shane glanced towards Rick and then back to Buck before nodding and walking a little ways away from the others. Merle was still just standing there. Buck almost wished that Merle was more upset. It would have been normal for a man to be upset after losing his mama.

Shane looked at him quizzically as Buck took a deep breath. He pulled Andrea into his side. He explained as much as he could to the cop. He left out a few key parts but nothing could be done about that. He left out the part about Jenna using blackmail to lure Carol out of the house. And of course he left out the part where Merle had killed Ed to begin with. Shane listened, his expression going from disbelief to frustration and then back to disbelief. Especially when they got to the part about Milton finding Jenna's phone.

He listened like a man thirsting for knowledge as Andrea pressed herself further into Buck's side.

~H~

Daryl actually felt himself waking up. It took forever. He couldn't quite grasp where he was or how he had gotten there or what was happening to him. He felt groggy and disoriented. He heard himself groan and finally blinked his eyes open but he still couldn't see anything. He was sitting down, he knew that much. The chair was hard and when he tried to move his hands to wipe his eyes he realized that his hands were tied or taped to the arms of the chair and when he tried to move his legs he found his ankles tied to the chair legs.

He felt panic rise in him and it cleared his head a little, chasing away some of the fog. He'd been with Carol and there had been something there behind the shed. He thought he had stumbled onto a body.

What the fuck had happened? He couldn't remember. "Carol?" he hissed. There was a medicinal taste in his mouth that he wanted to spit out.

He tensed and strained his ears. He could hear something. A faint sound that grew slightly louder penetrated the loud sound of the blood rushing behind his ears. He tried to listen more closely and finally he could make out the sound of her soft groans. She was somewhere close but he couldn't see anything. This darkness was thick and wasn't something that his eyes could adjust too. He realized he was blindfolded.

"Carol." He hissed again and this time his voice was a little louder than before.

"Daryl? What's going on? I can't see anything." She groaned once more.

"Are you free? I'm tied up to a fuckin' chair. Can you get close enough to get me the fuck loose?" He whispered.

She whimpered and the sound chilled him. "I can't. I think I'm tied to a bed. It feels like something's cutting into my wrists when I try to move them."

Carol was tied up. To a _bed_. His blood turned to ice. How long had he been out? Why the fuck would someone tie her to a bed? He thought maybe he knew the answer but he shook his head. That wasn't what was going on here. That sick fuck could have been raping every woman he killed but he didn't. All he did was kill them. Surely he wouldn't touch her. "Has he... has he hurt you?" he chocked on the words.

"No. I don't think so. My head feels really weird though. I feel like I might be drugged or something."

"You ain't... are you dressed?" He hissed.

She gasped and he was about to start slamming the chair into the wall but she was talking again. "No. Jesus, you scared me. Are you okay?" She asked suddenly.

"I'm fine. Gonna be even more fine when I get outta this chair and beat that pussy mother fucker's brains out." He growled.

Just then they heard the sound of a door closing and they both went silent and still. Daryl listened as footfalls fell across the floor and stopped in front of him. He kept himself frozen in place until he felt something cold press against his skin. He had been so worried about her that he hadn't realized that he didn't have a shirt on. He silently lifted his head.

He felt a stinging sensation follow the cold steel as it trailed across his chest. He couldn't help but picture Buck's mangled torso but he didn't move. He didn't flinch. He kept his breathing as steady and as even as he could. He had been hurt much worse than this by a man much more capable of violence than this little pussy. As far as he could tell the cuts were superficial.

For now.

But whatever this guy did to him, it wouldn't matter. He wouldn't open his mouth. All that would end up doing is scaring her and she was already scared enough. He wouldn't have her be scared for him too.

"What are you doing?" She whispered, terror in her voice.

"I'm just cutting up your boyfriend a little. No big deal. He'll live." A garbled voice whispered from the darkness.

"What?" She almost shrieked and then she hissed in pain. He must have had her tied up with some sort of wire because she had said that it cut into her wrists when she tried to struggle out of her restraints.

"I'm fine." Daryl said in a voice that belayed his terror for her. He would be okay if the guy just focused on him. He could do whatever the fuck he wanted to do to him as long as he left her alone long enough for Buck to find her. And Buck would do just that. He had all the faith in the world that Buck would get Carol out of this if Daryl was smart and kept the attention on himself.

"Oh look how brave you are, boy." The whisper floated around his ears, a familiar nuance to the tone regardless of how low it was.

"Fuck you, pussy." Daryl spat, literally, in the general direction of the voice.

He was rewarded with a blow to the jaw. It wasn't very hard. Hell, Merle hit him harder than that when they were just playing around in the garage.

"You better watch yourself." the man hissed, clearly smug about hitting Daryl. He was unaware that it hadn't even fazed him.

Daryl knew then that if he could get himself out of the chair and freed the man wouldn't be much of a problem. Daryl could kill him easy. And he was going too if Buck didn't get to him first.

"You hit like a bitch." He laughed.

"Daryl, please!" She pleaded from a few feet away.

The man hit him again. It was still ineffectual but he made sure to keep his mouth closed this time. He didn't want to get himself killed regardless of how much he wanted to keep the man's attention. The guy wasn't all that strong but he still had a knife. A very sharp knife. If he got himself killed and Buck was too late finding them then the man would have a better chance of hurting Carol.

"How could you, Carol? How could you do the things you've done with them?" The voice was moving further away, closer to Carol. Daryl thrashed against the roped that bound his hands.

"I don't understand what you're talking about." Carol cried.

Jenna. Jenna had told this psycho that Carol was pretty much getting into bed with all three of them. That's what had this guy so pissed off. Daryl didn't know why that would piss the guy off but apparently Jenna had been on to something.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, you disgusting bitch! I've seen you with my own eyes. Seen the things you let Daryl do to you. I've watched from right under your own bed, don't you dare try lie to me!"

Daryl heard her gasp. He was pretty sure his own mouth was hanging open now. He had been under their bed? Jesus Christ, he could have heard all sorts of things from that angle. He could have killed them both then. "You sick fuck!" Daryl blurted. "You need help. Gettin' off listening to her? Jesus." He needed to get the guys attention. He didn't want him anywhere near her. He really was a grade A psycho freak.

It didn't work. He kept on talking to Carol.

"After everything you had been through with Ed. You run to a group of men like _them_? Like the Dixon's? How many times did you lie to people about what Ed was doing to you? And I tried to talk to you and you wouldn't listen! I never would have had a reason to punish you like Ed did! I never would have had to put my hands on you. You were so poise and pure and then you get with _them_!"

Carol was whimpering again and the sound was ripping Daryl's insides open. "You fuckin' touch her and I swear to God! I'll make sure we kill you slow, you piece of shit!" Daryl fought against the ropes once more.

"I saw what Ed had done and you lied to everyone. You knew your place. You knew that you didn't need to tell people about him because that wasn't who you were. Now you are someone that I don't even know." The man was forgetting to whisper. He was starting to speak in a low voice.

Daryl stopped struggling and listened to him rant. He couldn't believe it. He knew who this was. He had gotten a weird feeling around the guy every time their paths crossed, even years ago, but he never would have guessed that he would be capable of any crazy shit like this.

"Please, just let us go. You can stop this. We don't even know who you are." Carol begged but Daryl could tell by her tone that she had caught the voice too.

"You never met my wife. You never got to know her. She was so much like you. The way you were. I thought you would be perfect. We could have had the perfect life. I could have given you everything and you threw that all away. And for what? An ex con, a heroin addict and _him_. He's nothing but a _boy_."

Daryl was still too shocked to say anything. The last time he had even really talked to the guy was when he was checking up on him after Buck had attacked him years ago. He ran into him again when Buck was hurt. He had been weird, sure, but he hadn't came off as a person capable of this shit. His job was to patch people up. Not gut them.

"So, whatcha got planned Jim? Ya gonna kill us both?" Daryl asked and wasn't surprised when he heard the man gasp at the sound of his name.

It took a few minutes but he finally heard Jim's voice coming closer. "Eventually." Jim hissed into his ear. "But not just yet."

"Don't touch her." Daryl drawled as he suddenly felt foggy and disoriented once again. He felt a cloth cover his nose, that medicinal smell invading his nostrils.

"You've already made certain that I could never have her like that. I'd kill her before soiling my hands on a body you've claimed for your own Dixon."

He slipped away then, at least comforted by the fact that Jenna had been right and Carol wouldn't be raped while he was unconscious. That was some comfort anyway.

**Okay guys, I hope that was okay. I do plan on getting into more detail about Jim and the person he was planning on confiding in. I haven't forgotten about all that. I hope no one minded about Jim admitting that he wasn't interested in Carol sexually anymore. I didn't want anyone worried that I would have her be raped or something and have to wonder about that until my next update. I really hope this was okay! Now, I must sleep before I pass out on my keyboard, which I have done in the past =)**


	50. Chapter 50

**Sorry this is super late. I fell asleep and didn't get this chapter finished. But late or not, I was able to finally get it done. I've got to go help a friend paint tonight so I'm not sure I'll be able to update in the morning. Just a heads up. I'm glad so many of you want this story to go on after all the drama is over. I'm as curious as you to see how it all plays out once there isn't any danger hanging over their heads. Well, not until the sequel anyway. Hope everyone enjoys their Sunday! Thank you all for reading! **

Chapter Fifty

Carol listened to Daryl's even breathing. She had been conscious for a while now but he hadn't responded when she had tried talking to him. But he was there and he was alive and that was all she could really hope for at the moment. She didn't try to fight her restraints anymore. She was really going to do some damage to herself if she did. Her wrists felt like they wee fire and she knew she was bleeding. She could feel the warm stickiness on her skin. There was nothing for her to do but wait.

After Daryl had grown quiet Jim had also. He hadn't said a word but she had known he had been standing there. It was eerie but she wasn't going to try to engage him in any conversation. She didn't have a clue what she could say that would convince him to let them go. Especially now that he knew that her and Daryl knew who he was.

She had been so sure that Philip and Jenna had been working together. Jim had never even crossed her mind. She had confided in him long ago after one of her trips to the hospital about the things that Ed was doing and he had tried to convince her to leave him. He had given her advice and offered to talk to her about it whenever she needed someone to confide in. He had never let on that he wanted more than just a friendship. Not that it would have done him any good if he had voiced his attraction, or obsession, out loud. She had given up on men by then. She didn't want one. Her running into Daryl, or him running into her, had been nothing but coincidence. Or fate. But she had never had any intentions of being with another man. Ever.

She wished that he would wake up. She had no idea what Jim had done to him. He could have been bleeding to death for all she knew and she was just lying there, unable to help him. But if he was in pain she would rather him sleep. If she woke him up then he would feel everything.

It wouldn't take Buck too long to find them. She was sure of it. He would tear the whole town apart with his bare hands to get to them. She knew he would. But what she wasn't sure of was whether or not he would be able to get to them in time. Jim was going to kill them. That was another thing she was sure of. She just had to hope that he would take his time with them. It was sad when your only hope was that a murderer would torture you for a while before he killed you.

"Carol?"

Daryl's quiet voice caressed her ears and she felt her eyes stinging at the sound of it. Why couldn't Jim had only gone after her and left him alone? "Are you okay?" She whispered.

"No. I'm tied to a goddamn chair and I feel like I've been drinkin' for a week straight." His voice was groggy. "But other than that I'm peachy as fuck. You alright?"

"I'm fine." She whispered.

"Buck is gonna get us outta this, okay? You ain't gotta worry about that." he sounded like he really meant it and it did make her feel a little better.

They were quiet once more for a while. She wanted to hear his voice again but she wasn't sure if he had drifted back off. "Daryl?" She whispered quietly enough so it wouldn't wake him if he had fallen asleep.

"Yeah?" He was more alert now.

"Do you not like kids?" She asked, not sure why she was asking but needing him to talk to her.

"Oh god, please don't tell me you wanna start havin' fuckin' kids." He groaned and he sounding like he was in more pain now than he was in when Jim had used that knife on him.

"I didn't say that. I just asked if you liked them or not." She said defensively. She knew it wouldn't be a good idea to think about something like that now but it was something that they may need to talk about in the future.

"I ain't never really been around any kids. And the ones I've been around ain't any fun. The little ones are loud and they shit their pants and they are always leakin' snot outta their noses. The bigger ones throw screamin' fits and fuck shit up and the ones that are older than that are usually know it all smart mouthed brats that need to get their ass kicked. Ain't nothin' good about kids."

"Do you really think our kids would act like that?" She asked. She knew from the look on his face the other night that he really was opposed to having any children but she didn't know why.

"There ain't gonna be any _our_ kids. I ain't getting' you knocked up. I was just tryin' to fuck with Shane. Jesus, I never woulda said anything if I knew it would put ideas in your head."

"What if that's what I want?" She asked, curiosity and the need to keep him talking drove her to stay on the subject.

"I can't fuckin' believe you're gonna dump this shit on me now!" He growled. "You're crazy, you know that?"

"I'm just curious. I never said I wanted any. Not yet anyway." She muttered.

"Well this ain't the time to talk about it so shut up." He grumbled. "You're makin' me wish that crazy fucker would come back. He was talkin' more sense than you are now."

"I want to know. If I told you that I wanted kids, would you do it?" She asked stubbornly.

"Carol! We've been kidnapped and we're tied up and blindfolded somewhere and a murderer that's obsessed with you can come in at any minute and kill us both. Can't we fuckin' talk about this shit later?"

"What else are we going to talk about then? We're kind of stuck here. Might as well work out the kinks in our relationship while we wait to see what happens next." She muttered. She couldn't believe how he was acting. It wasn't like he hadn't spent half his life looking after his brother and taking care of himself. He would make a great father.

"I didn't know we had any kinks. Things were fine." he grouched.

She could hear him struggling against his restraints. If they weren't in such dire straights she would be laughing at how distressed he sounded over talking about babies. He wanted to bolt for the door but he couldn't.

"Daryl. I'll stop. You're going to hurt yourself if you don't stop trying to run away." She said quietly.

"I ain't. I think I might have gotten these ropes to loosen up a little." He breathed.

She felt her heartbeat pick up. If he got free then they could get out of here easily. Jim wasn't a fighter. Not like Daryl was. Maybe she was onto something. "I think you'd make a real good daddy, by the way."

"Jesus Christ, would ya just stop fuckin' talkin' about it?" He grunted as he struggled some more.

He was a complete mess.

"You know, I could always just stop taking the pill. You'd never know it. If I wanted a baby that bad." She heard him struggling even more.

"I'm tellin' Buck. I'm tellin' him everything you just said as soon as he gets us the fuck outta here. And then I'm movin' to another room." He grunted. "I think it's looser. Just a little bit more and...

The door opened suddenly and Carol heard him grow quiet. Maybe it wouldn't be much longer and they could get out of here. As long as Jim didn't kill them right now. Maybe they really could get away. Then she had to hope that he was bluffing because if he really did tell Buck everything she said he was really going to let her have it.

~H~

Merle watched from the porch as the last emergency vehicle pulled out of the drive. He had an empty feeling in his gut and he couldn't keep is hands from shaking. He needed to find his brother. He needed to know that Carol was alright. When he had first stumbled onto the body behind the shed the only thing to register in his head was that it was a female. He had thought it was her and it had nearly knocked him on his ass. But it hadn't been Carol.

He tried once more to try to dredge up some sort of sorrow at the thought of what had happened to Jenna but he couldn't. Besides, turned out, the bitch wasn't dead anyway. They thought she was but there had still been a heartbeat. She was the woman that had given birth to him and he didn't care if she was alive or dead. And to him that was a goddamn shame.

But he didn't have time to worry about that right now. He had to find his brother and he had to find Carol and he had to do it soon but he had no idea where to start. This was Daryl's place. Daryl was the one that figured shit out and saved their asses. He always had been. But now he needed Merle to step up and be the big brother that he needed him to be and Merle was ready to do it.

Buck came out on the porch and motioned him in. Andrea had been filled in on a whole lot that had been going on and so had Shane. He still hadn't talked to Beth about any of it but she was still right there. He took her hand and led her into the house after Buck. Now it was just the four of them.

"I'm gonna have to go to the hospital to talk to your mama when she comes too." Buck said as he looked over his shoulder. He kept looking at Merle worriedly and Merle knew why. He was afraid that this was too much stress on him when in reality, Buck didn't have to worry at all. All Merle wanted was to keep his head clear and be able to find them.

"You think she'll tell you anything? She's gonna hold this over your head as long as she can. It's what she does." Merle said calmly, keeping his voice relaxed but feeling anything but. He wanted to go strangle the bitch. If she had just told them from the beginning who was doing this then Daryl and Carol would already be home.

Buck pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "I don't plan on givin' her a choice. She's gonna tell me and she's gonna tell me tonight."

Merle met his eyes and knew. He knew that Jenna was only going to be alive long enough for Buck to get the information he needed to get and then the bitch was dead. Merle nodded, still sad that he couldn't find it in him to even care. But this wasn't him. This was all on her. She had done this. She had every chance in the world to make things right with Merle and she never bothered. How else was he suppose to feel?

"Are you guys gonna go to the hospital?" Beth asked, looking from Buck back to Merle. Her eyes were red rimmed. She didn't know exactly what was going on but she knew that Daryl and Carol both were in a lot of trouble. Her and Carol had become pretty close.

Merle shook his head. "I ain't. I ain't got a fuckin' thing to say to the woman. That's all on Buck. I can't do it. She wouldn't tell me shit anyway."

Beth nodded and pressed herself against his side. "I just want to find Daryl and Carol." She said quietly, her voice breaking slightly.

Buck looked down at Andrea then. She gave him a stiff nod and then stepped away. "I'll be here when you get back." She said in a quiet voice.

Merle let go of Beth and was going to go with Buck but he stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "You stay. Keep an eye on'em. You see anything weird you call me. And if you see anybody nosin' around that ain't suppose to be here, you make damn sure you fuckin' kill'em."

Merle nodded. "I will."

Buck gave his shoulder a stiff squeeze and then walked out without turning to look at any of them. Merle knew what was going to happen now. Buck would do what he could to get the info out of Jenna and then she would die.

He wanted to go with him but he knew that Buck wouldn't go for that. He knew he needed to stay anyway. He needed to keep an eye on Beth and Andrea. They didn't need anymore bullshit to happen tonight. Buck worked alone anyway. He always had and in Buck's head that is exactly what this had become. It was a job.

Merle ushered the women into the living room and settled down for a long wait. No one really knew if Jenna would ever come too. He hoped she would so they could find his brother and Carol.

~H~

Buck drove Carol's car to the hospital. He wasn't worried about getting pulled over since most of the cops were pretty busy tonight. He was glad he was going to have a chance to finally talk to Jenna but he really had been relieved when he thought she was dead. It didn't much matter anymore because she would be soon. She'd tell him who had the kids and then he was going to kill the bitch. This was her fault. If she had told them earlier instead of just being Jenna then this wouldn't have happened. This time she had gone a little bit too far.

He pulled up in the visitors parking in the emergency room section and walked as fast as he could to the desk. He was told that they were trying to patch her up and that he couldn't see her until she was in recovery. Since he was technically still her husband they could give him information that they wouldn't normally have been able to give him.

He asked to speak to her doctor as soon as he was available and the woman assured him that she would send for him as soon as the doctor was finished.

The wait nearly drove him crazy. He had to talk to her. She was the only person that he knew of that could tell him who the hell had his son and Carol. He refused to believe that whoever took them had killed them. If the guy was going to kill them then he would have done it when he tried to off Jenna. But he hadn't done that. He had taken them. He wasn't sure how he could have taken them both. Daryl spent his whole life being Merle Dixon's little brother. The kid could fight so it wasn't making any sense to him.

He was surprised when he heard someone mutter his name. When he looked up Shane Walsh was standing in front of him. He looked nervous as his eyes scanned the room. It was empty. The town was having a slow night.

"Where's Rick?" Buck asked. He hadn't even known they were coming to the hospital at all. Neither one of them were on duty.

"He's with Lori at home. I came in to see how Jenna was doin' and saw Carol's car. Talked to a few of the nurses." He looked around once more and then sat in the seat next to Buck.

Buck could tell that Shane had more to tell him, but he was nervous. That could only mean that he was going to tell him something that he wasn't suppose too. "You might as well spit it out boy. It ain't doin' nobody no good to beat around the bush." Buck said quietly.

Shane swiped a hand over his face. "Whoever's doin' this is subduing his victims with chloroform. That ain't somethin' we want leaked. But that leaves us askin' ourselves who's got access to shit like that?"

"Not a lot of people." Buck said as he too double checked the room to make sure no one was close.

"We've checked and there isn't anyone here with a big black truck registered to them." Shane shrugged. "But the way they were cut on, except for you, was precise. Whoever is doin' this knows what they're doin'."

Something clicked then. "Jenna was here the day I got released." And the same day she had slipped Carol her number, he added to himself.

"You think she was for real? She knew who this was?" Shane asked.

Buck nodded. "I'm just waitin' till I can ask her. She's gonna tell me this time." He growled.

"Look, Buck. I know we ain't friends or anything but I care about Carol. I want you to find this son of a bitch and get her back."

Buck eyed him, feeling like now wasn't the best time to bring it up but unable to help himself. "You know you ain't got a snowballs chance in hell with that girl right? I ain't never seen two people more stupid over each other as them two. If this is you tryin' to play the hero, it ain't gonna work."

Shane gave him a sly smile. "Can't blame a man for tryin', Dixon. You know that ain't what this is, anyway. I care."

They both looked up when the door swung open and the same doctor that had patched Buck up walked towards them. His expression was grim and Buck could feel himself tense as he stood up. This wasn't good news. He could already see it on the doctors face.

"I'm sorry Mr. Dixon. We tried everything we could but her wounds were much worse than yours. We were unable to save her." The doctor looked at him, his expression growing sympathetic when Buck cursed out loud.

"I'm sorry." He said again and turned to walk away.

Shane stopped him. "Wait." he called, stepping closer to the doctor.

The man turned, looking quite tired.

"Have you ever spoken to her before? Mrs. Dixon, I mean?" He asked.

Buck looked up, a little hope driving away some of the darkness that was clouding his thoughts.

The doctor nodded. "She was here a few days ago. She was asking to see Dr. Rothenburg. She talked to a few of the nurses about him. I'm not really sure what it was about though."

Shane nodded. "Thank you."

Buck felt his heart quicken. She had been in here asking about Jim. Jim had access to all sorts of different things since he worked here. Things like chloroform and scalpels. He met Shane's eyes and could tell that Shane was thinking the same thing.

"You gonna call this in?" Buck asked as he headed for the door.

Shane looked torn as he made his way across the parking lot with Buck. "Man, you know this is a long shot, right? She's been runnin' around askin' about everybody. Hell, she was in Milton Mamet's house. That don't make him the killer."

"You gonna report this? I need to know now. I gotta know how much time I got." Buck said hurriedly.

Shane rubbed nervously at the back of his neck and then finally met Buck's eyes once more. "No. I ain't gonna call this in." He said, sounding almost angry. "We'd have to get a goddamn warrant, we'd have to follow procedures. We don't have time for that. We might be too late already."

"No we ain't." Buck leaned down into Shane's face.

Shane took a step back and ran a hand through his hair. "Alright. Just find'em, alright? Let me know somethin' after you do."

Buck nodded and got into the car. He didn't watch Shane walk away. He was flying towards Jim's house before Shane could even reach his Jeep.

~H~

Daryl let his chin fall back to his chest when he heard the door open. He had managed to loosen the ropes a lot while he was listening to Carol drone on like a crazy person. Leave it to her to wait until he was tied to chair to bring up some shit like that.

He didn't need to get gassed again, or whatever the fuck Jim was doing to them to pass them out. He'd be wasting time that he could use to try to loosen the ropes up more if he let the guy put him under again. It was best to just try to keep him thinking that he was asleep.

"Looks like maybe I overdid it that time. I thought you would both be up now." Jim said quietly.

"I'm awake." Carol whispered. He could hear the fear in her tone even though she was whispering.

Jim sighed and then Daryl tensed when he heard Carol make a frightened sound.

"It's okay. I'm just going to hold up your head so you can get a drink of water." He soothed. "I've been thinking. Thinking about us."

Daryl had to concentrate hard on keeping his breathing slow and even. If he didn't then he'd just get another dose and then who knew what would happen after that.

"What?" Carol asked.

Jim sighed and Daryl could here the sound of box springs sagging under the man's weight. If he touched her Daryl would find a way out and he would torture the son of a bitch. But he still kept his wits about him. As long as Carol was quiet and he knew she was okay then he could keep pretending like he was sleeping.

"I wanted to kill you." Jim said simply. "After everything I saw and heard. I couldn't believe that you would do something like that. Not with the likes of him. It made me sick but I've been putting a lot of thought into this and I've come to the realization that it isn't you. It's him. Or them. You are just another victim."

"Jim, please just let us go. You need help."

"Don't patronize me, Carol. You need to speak when I tell you to speak. Until then you keep your mouth shut and listen." He snarled.

Daryl felt his fingers gripping the chair arms until his hands ached. He had to tell himself to loosen his grip. Jim still hadn't hurt her.

Jim cleared his throat. "I'm going to take off that blindfold now. No use for it since you know who I am." he said, sounding calm once more.

Daryl wished he would do the same for him but he doubted he would. He wanted to see her so he could make sure she was alright.

"I'm going to have to kill him, Carol." Jim muttered. "I'll give you two some time to say your goodbyes. I know you think you love him but you don't. You can't love someone like him. He's not doing anything but using you and you know it's true. They all are. But they wont anymore. I wont let anyone hurt you again, like Ed hurt you. Like they would hurt you eventually."

Daryl could hear her breathing becoming more and more labored. He was sure that Jim meant it. He was going to kill Daryl but Carol would get to live. He had to keep his breathing controlled but it was hard since he could hear her. She was scared to death that Jim was going to kill him. He wasn't scared to die but he wasn't too happy about it. He was scared that he would die before he could see her again. Afraid that she would have to watch it happen. Afraid of what Jim had planned for her after he was gone.

"I'll leave the two of you alone now. He should wake up soon so you can tell him yourself what's going to happen." Jim said, his voice closer to Daryl now.

He felt the blind fold be torn from over his eyes but he stayed still and kept his eyes closed as he listened for the door to open and then close again with an audible click. When he heard the footsteps fading away his head shot up and he looked over. Carol was, indeed tied to a metal bed frame. The mattress was old and stained.

Her hands were tied up with wire. She was bleeding freely but it wasn't anything serious. Not yet. If she struggled anymore then it could possibly cut her up pretty bad. Her feet were tied together and then the rope was knotted to the foot of the bed. When she finally moved her head to look at him her eyes were red rimmed and tears made a trail down to her temple. She gave him a once over just like he had her and then her eyes widened.

He looked down then and saw the bloody lines in his chest. They really weren't that bad. A few could have used a few stitches but it was nothing like what had been done to Buck. From the look on her face she thought it was worse than it really was.

"I'm fine. It don't even hurt." he whispered.

She bit her lip and nodded. "He's coming back to kill you. What are we gonna do?" She choked.

He shook his head. "We wait on Buck to get his ass here. Until then I'm gonna try to get the fuck outta this goddamn chair. And then I'm gonna kill the son of a bitch. I don't care if you don't want me too. He's gonna die tonight." He growled as he struggled against the roped once more. She just nodded and watched him.


	51. Chapter 51

**Good morning! Sorry about the delay but i think this chapter was worth the wait. I love it for some reason. I really hope you do too. Thank you for reading!**

Chapter Fifty One

Buck parked the car a few blocks away. He knew he didn't have much time to waste here but he wasn't going to drive right up to the man's door. The house was dark and silent but Buck knew that it didn't mean shit. They could be in a basement or something. He just had to find them. Now. And then he was going to kill Jim Rothenburg. Hell, he might just kill him and then give him CPR until he came too and then wait a while and kill him again. The crazy bastard done fucked with the wrong family.

Buck couldn't stop thinking about how much he had fucked up. How much time he had wasted on his addictions and his anger. He couldn't help but think that this short burst of real happiness was just that. A fleeting taste of family. Just a small glimpse of peace. How easily it could all be ripped away from him. It was one of the reasons he had never considered to even dream of it. He had never felt worthy of it. Maybe this was his punishment for coveting a better life. For ever wanting to become a better man, a better dad to his boys.

He thought about the night that Daryl had finally let loose on him. The memory of the hurt in Daryl's face when Buck had come around the corner of the table. He had earned more than every blow the boy had given him that night. He deserved more than what Daryl had done. He had been a real piece of shit to the boy and now he may never get the chance to tell his boy how much he fucking loved him.

He stormed up the porch steps, seething with rage. He turned the knob, using the hem of his shirt to cover his hands to keep from leaving prints. It was locked. Of course it was locked. With one huge boot clad foot he kicked it in. It only took him one kick for the door to crash open. He didn't hesitate in the door way either. He stepped right into the house, turning on lights and checking from room to room. Other than busting the door down and stomping through the place he didn't make any other sounds. He didn't call out. It wouldn't have done him any good. The house was empty.

"Fuck!" Buck spat. He stormed right back out, leaving the lights on and the door hanging half off it's hinges. His hands were close to smashing the steering wheel as he pulled away from the curb. Where could he have taken them? He had to believe that they were being held somewhere. He had to believe that they were both okay. They had to be alive.

He tore through the streets, going much too fast but unable to slow the car down until he was in the driveway. Merle met him on the porch, his face a mask of worry.

"Did she tell ya where they were?" Merle asked, his voice thick with panic as he took in Buck's grim expression.

"She's dead. Really dead this time. I didn't get to ask her.

Buck flinched as Merle's fist slammed into the thick pillar that flanked the porch steps. It was solid wood and Buck was sure that Merle had just broken his hand. Merle went to punch it again but Buck caught his fist before Merle could do anymore damage to himself.

"I know who it is but they ain't at his house. It's Jim." Buck said in a low voice. Merle's fist dropped from Buck's grip to hang limply at his side.

"I saw him." Merle breathed. "The night Rick and Shane hauled me in for questionin'. He was in the courtyard across from the station. I thought I was seein' shit."

Buck swiped a hand over his face. His hands were steady but his heart thundered in his chest, causing his injuries to throb. "Where the fuck could he have taken them?"

Merle shook his head and leaned over the railing. "I don't fuckin'..." His head shot up.

"What?" Buck asked, knowing by the look in Merle's eye that he had thought of something big.

"A house. He said he was thinkin' of buyin' a house a few streets over or some shit. He said it the other day when he stopped by."

Buck could tell that Merle was putting all his hopes on Buck finding them. He clapped his son on the shoulder and nodded. "Good boy. You make sure you keep watch over them girls, ya hear?"

Merle nodded. "Just bring'em the fuck home, alright?"

Buck nodded and squeezed Merle's shoulder affectionately before hurrying back to the car. He had no fucking idea where the hell this house was. He was going to have to go through the neighborhood and look for for sale signs. It was going to take him too long. He shook his head and ran back to the house, ignoring the pain in his midsection. This was too much for him to handle on his own. He left the front door open in his rush to get to the phone.

He dialed a number that he hoped was still active and waited. Merle, Beth and Andrea came around the corner. Buck glanced at them from the corner of his eye.

A deep voice answered and Buck blew out a sigh of relief.

"I need another favor from you, boy." Buck said quickly.

"Damn it, Buck Dixon. The hell ya need from me now. I was asleep." Oscar grumbled into the phone.

"That problem I told ya about? It got worse. They got my boy and his girl. I don't need nothin' dirty. Just need ya to gather up a few of the guys and help me scour some properties."

"Where ya need us, brother?" Oscar asked without hesitation, sounding much more alert.

Buck let out another sigh of relief and then told the man where to meet him. When he hung up the phone he was about to haul ass to the car again but Andrea stopped him with a hand on his chest, she dropped her hand when he winced.

"Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No time, woman. I'll tell ya all about it when I bring the kids back. I gotta go." He kissed her hard and then was gone, not giving her a chance to say anything else or ask anymore questions. He needed a clear head right now and that damn girl was always clouding up his thoughts.

~H~

His wrists burned and ached but he kept fighting his restraints. Besides, compared to what Carol's must feel like he really didn't have any room to complain. He was really going to kill the son of a bitch. For the things he had done, for the way he had talked to her, for scaring her and definitely for causing that fucking wire to leave marks on her. If those cuts left scars then every time she looked at them she would be reminded of this. He was going to make Jim pay for it.

Carol watched him, her expression grim as she studied the raw flesh of his wrists. He was pretty sure it was working but it didn't seem to be working fast enough. He didn't know how much time Jim wanted to give them to say goodbye. What he did know was that the next time the son of a bitch came through the door, he was coming for a purpose. Jim was going to kill him right in front of Carol. He couldn't let that happen.

He did realize that they were in a basement. The cinder block walls and high narrow windows gave that away. This must have been a storage room of some kind and Jim, or someone else, had spray painted over the glass panes with black spray paint. He had the sinking feeling that this wasn't Jim's house. If somehow Buck found out that Jim was the one that had taken them then he wouldn't be able to find them if they weren't actually at Jim's. He had instantly just assumed that Buck was coming. A strange unending faith in the man had built up in Daryl's chest and he had no doubts that his dad would get them out of this. It made him feel foolish once he started thinking about it. Buck was a lot of things but at the end of the day, Buck was just a man. He wasn't no ones hero or a super villain. He was a man. Just a man that couldn't read minds and find them when he had no idea where they could be or who could have kidnapped them. He shook his head at the term. Kidnapped. He had to have been the first Dixon in the history of Dixon's to get kidnapped.

"Daryl, if something happens and..."

His head shot up. "Don't." He almost growled at her. "I'm gonna get us the fuck outta here, alright? If I don't get these fuckin' ropes off then I'm gonna figure out how to chew the fucker's face off."

She nodded but he could tell by the quick rise and fall of her chest that she was about to start panicking again. He could read the fear and desperation on her face as her eyes filled with tears. He started struggling harder, ignoring the pain, never taking his eyes off her even though she was staring towards the door now. He thought of how he would feel if their roles were reversed. If she was the one with a death threat over her head that could very well walk in on them at any minute. His stomach twisted. She was as terrified as he would be. He needed to say something, anything to at least try to take her mind off of what was happening. Something to take her eyes off that fucking door.

"I been thinkin'." He said as he jerked and tugged at the ropes.

Her eyes slid back to his and he watched a stray tear escape and run down to the wet hair at her temple. She'd cried a lot tonight. "About?" She whispered.

He shrugged slightly and his lips twitched. "Give me fifteen years."

Her eyebrows turned down in a frown. "What?"

He could swear that he could almost slip his right hand out now. He was close. He shrugged his shoulders and sighed dramatically. "If ya want, I'll knock you up in fifteen years." He winked at her.

To his relief it worked. She let out a small laugh and then turned her head so she was staring at the ceiling once more. "You're ridiculous." She said as she let her eyes close and shook her head.

He took a deep breath and then pulled back as hard as he could. His hand was yanked free and he spent quite a few seconds staring at it in shock. He couldn't believe it. He was stunned. He glanced back at her quickly but she was still lying there with her eyes closed, her breathing slowing. He knew she wasn't asleep, just calming herself down.

He quickly started working on the knots that bound his other hand, hurrying to untie his ankles from the chair. She still didn't look at him. Eyes still closed as he fought not to scream out his victory. He hurriedly undid the knots at his ankles and then quickly stood up, nearly falling over. His feet were almost completely numb. Jim had tied them much tighter than he needed too. Good thing the dumb ass hadn't been as thorough when he tied his hands. He sat there willing his toes to wiggle and for the blood to start flowing once more. It would be embarrassing as hell to get himself killed after escaping the ropes just because his feet were asleep.

His eyes flicked from Carol to the door. He had to get her untied. He was finally able to get up and walk. He ghosted to the side of her bed and leaned over her. Before she could gasp or make any other sounds he kissed her quickly. Her eyes were huge as she watched him.

Her wrists were bad. Worse than he first suspected but still not bad enough to panic over. The wire was twisted and bent strategically so it took him longer than he would have liked to finally free her. As soon as she was free she sat up straight, reaching for the ropes that bound her feet to the foot board.

He gently took her hands and pulled her up from the bed once her feet were free.

"How did you get yourself loose?" She whispered as he glanced around the room.

His eyes met hers and he picked up her hands to examine her wrists. He clenched his teeth and he could feel the muscle ticking in his jaw. "I had to get away from all the baby talk." he whispered after a few more long seconds of examination. He grabbed her hand and led her to the door. He heard nothing on the other side when he put his ear to the wood so he grabbed the door knob. It turned easily but it wouldn't open. Jim must have had it locked from the other side.

"Fuck!" He hissed as he laid his forehead against the door. He could have kicked it down, it was nothing but cheap fiber board but that would make a lot of noise and although Jim was fond of using blades and getting up close and personal with his victims Daryl couldn't be sure that he didn't have a gun also. He wouldn't risk getting her shot.

His eyes zeroed in on the narrow window above the bed. He wasn't sure if he would fit but he was positive that Carol would. He rushed to the bed and stood on top of the sagging mattress, it was locked from the inside but it wasn't sealed shut. He unlocked it and pushed it open.

"Go." He urged as he grabbed her hand and pulled her up onto the bed.

She looked at him and then back to the window. "I don't think you'll fit, Daryl." She shook her head.

"That don't matter. Come on." He pulled her closer and forced her towards the window. She grabbed his arms.

"I'm not leaving without you." She snapped.

"I'll be just fine. He ain't gonna be able to do shit to me. I'm free. Get out and go home. Get Buck. Call the fuckin' coroner cause Jim's gonna be dead soon." He growled, kissed her hard and then actually lifted her up and shoved her towards the window. She had no choice but to go out of the narrow space. It was that or he was going to stuff her out of it anyway. She slid out easily and then she knelt down, peering in at him.

"I can't just leave you here." She said as tears spilled over.

He shook his head. "You gotta go get Buck, Carol. I'll be fine." he hissed as he glanced back towards the door.

"Daryl I..." She began, but he cut her off.

"I love you. Go!"

She blinked stupidly but then nodded and with one last lingering look she took off into the dark yard beyond, knowing there was no way she could help him if she stayed.

He hopped down off the bed and went to the door once more. He braced his hands on it and tested its strength. It was weak. He was almost positive that he could kick it in. that would let Jim know that he was freed. He just had to hope like a son of a bitch that he didn't end up getting himself shot. But he wasn't going to wait around for the fucker to come down to kill him. This needed to be done now. Jim had tormented them. Tried to kill his dad. He had hurt all those women. He had even hid out under their fucking bed. And tonight he had hurt Carol. This ended now.

He kicked the door as hard as he could and heard a satisfying splintering sound. "Come on down you sick fuck!" Daryl roared as he kicked the door again. He kept kicking as hard as he could.

~H~

Buck nearly ripped the side door to the garage off it's hinges and saw what he needed to see before he even stepped inside. The moonlight that seeped into the open door shone dully on the side of a big black Chevy truck. The house was for sale and there shouldn't have been a truck in it's garage. Buck's lips twisted up into a cruel smile. He'd found the son of a bitch.

He heard footsteps coming from around the side of the house and looked up and nearly fell on his ass when he spotted, who he was sure, was Carol, sprinting towards the street. He'd put his body through a lot tonight and knew he would never catch her. Lucky for him Oscar snaked out of the darkness and caught her around the waist, clamping a large hand over her mouth.

He watched from the shadows as Oscar tried to drag her back towards the garage where he knew Buck would be. He felt a surge of relief at seeing her but he couldn't help but scan the yard for any signs of his boy.

Oscar was grunting as he ushered Carol along, keeping his hand over her mouth and arm around her middle. He'd never seen the girl look so angry in all the time he had been around her. There was not one ounce of fear in her eyes as she kicked and elbowed the big man. Oscar was trying to say something to her but she was too busy trying to scream at him to listen to the words the big man was muttering to her.

When he finally stepped out of the shadows and she saw him Oscar let her go, cursing and rubbing his ribs where her bony elbows had landed several blows.

She ran at him and he braced himself for the impact, it was gonna hurt but it would be worth it. She didn't disappoint. The wind was nearly knocked out of him when she hit but he ignored the pain and wrapped his arms around her, mindful that if he squeezed her as hard as he wanted too that he would surely crush her.

"Goddamn, I wasn't sure if I was gonna make it, baby girl." He breathed as he untangled her arms from around his neck. His hands came back sticky and he looked down. Her wrists were mangled and her blood was flowing slowly over his palms.

Buck was proud of how well he had done at keeping his temper and his anger in check but seeing her blood on his hands did something to him, way down deep. He felt his nostrils flare as he tried to pull in more air.

When she met his eyes he could see her swallow hard.

"He did this to you?" He asked in a voice so filled with fury that the quietness of it scared even himself a little. At some point tonight she had been tied up by the wrists. "Did he touch you? Did he...?"

She shook her head quickly. "He didn't touch me. Just tied us up. Buck, Daryl's still down there." Her face crumpled and he stood up to his full height and glared towards the house.

"You stay here. This is Oscar. He's a friend of mine." Buck looked over at Oscar who took an involuntary step back. "You keep her safe." Buck said, still quiet even though so much hate was surging through him that he wasn't sure if it wasn't going to burn him up from the inside out before he could make it into the house.

The door was locked but he kicked his way inside easily, just like at the other house. He could hear something. A pounding coming from somewhere deeper inside. He flipped on the light switch and glanced around, finding the room empty. He followed the sounds until he was standing in front of a door off the kitchen. He heard Daryl then and felt himself almost sag against the door in relief. He looked down at his hands, stained red from Carol's blood.

He turned the knob and the door opened easily. There was dim light shining from somewhere below him and he took the stairs slowly. Daryl wasn't in danger just yet. Not from the sound of his bellowing voice challenging Jim to open the door. He wasn't sure if the boy was simply fearless or dumb but either way he felt his chest swell with pride. Don't fuck with a Dixon.

The stairway was enclosed so he paused in the darkness and let his eyes roam over the room. From the racket that Daryl was making Buck wouldn't have been too surprised if Jim hadn't heard him coming in at all. His eyes locked onto movement on the other side of the large room. A door opened and then a man stepped out. Jim was standing there running his hand through his hair nervously as he glanced towards a short hallway. That was where all the noise was coming from. Buck tensed as he noticed something in Jim's other hand. He held it up and the light from the bare bulb caught the blade of a large wicked looking knife. Buck looked down at the blood on his hands and then he clenched his fists once more. He was using Carol's blood like gasoline for his anger, feeding his rage. He knew it.

Jim started approaching the hall slowly as Buck watched. His back was to him now so Buck slipped from his hiding spot and silently followed Jim, leaning his back against the wall next to the doorway to the hall Jim disappeared down.

"Daryl, you should really calm down. There isn't anything you can do to stop this. You're no good for her. Not like I am. Your family is trash and she is perfect. Or she was until you came along."

Daryl had grown quiet as Jim spoke but as soon as Jim paused Daryl was yelling once more.

"Open the door you fuckin' pussy!" He roared.

Buck would have smiled if he hadn't been so fucking pissed off. He could almost imagine the look on Daryl's face while he yelled at the man and kicked at the door.

"I'll open the door as long as you step back. If you don't play by my rules then Carol will be the one I end up hurting and I'll make sure to keep you alive long enough to watch it happen." Jim snapped.

Buck clenched his fists once again. The thought of the son of a bitch touching her made him sick to his stomach. And the direct threat to his son had him seeing red all over again. But Daryl must have listened to him because he was no longer yelling and he was no longer pounding on the door.

He risked a quick look around the door frame. Jim had his back to him as he undid several locks on the door. Buck was behind him in a flash but still kept himself silent, scarcely breathing. He wanted to surprise the guy. He wanted him scared. He was almost right behind him when the door opened. He could easily see right over Jim's head. He put a finger to his lips when Daryl's furious gaze flicked up and met his. Daryl managed to keep his face from registering the shock that Buck could see in his eyes. He was breathing heavily, hands fisted at his sides.

"Where is she!" Jim hissed as he took a tentative step into the room. Glancing around.

Daryl gave him a twisted smile. "Looks like your little plan got messed up you psycho. She's gone. Probably bringin' my dad back as we speak. You're a real dumb ass for such a smart guy, ya know that?"

Jim made some sort of tortured sound and then lunged towards Daryl, knife raised high, glinting in the light. Buck snatched his wrist and gave it a bone crushing squeeze. Jim cried out and the knife fell to the floor. Daryl snatched it up and moved to the side quickly as Jim turned to face his adversary, eyes growing wide as he looked up into Buck's furious gaze.

"Daddy's here, mother fucker." Buck growled as he grabbed Jim by the throat with his other hand and literally heaved him a good nine feet. Jim's back crashed into the block wall and then he landed hard on his side on the floor at Daryl's feet.

Daryl looked too stunned to move for a few seconds but that's all it took for Buck to reach Jim, who was groaning and trying to pull himself up off the floor. He didn't have to try long because Buck was pulling him up.

He stuck him to the wall once more, one hand around his throat. Jim's eyes bulged grotesquely and he scratched at Buck's giant forearms in a feeble attempt to get himself free.

"You don't even realize how lucky you are that I'm as pissed as I am, cause I ain't gonna drag this out. You threaten my boy? You torment my family? I get pissed." he growled.

He held out his one free hand towards Daryl. The boy silently handed over the knife. Buck didn't hesitate. He plunged it right into Jim's gut so hard that he felt the tip of the long blade hit the cold wall the man was pinned too and then he twisted. He couldn't keep the sadistic grin off his lips as Jim's body twitched in pain. This was what Buck did. This was who he was. At least a small piece. This part of him would never die completely. But this was a different kind of killing. This was deserved in his book.

He let go of the knife handle and Jim's throat at the same time, letting the man fall to the floor once more onto his side. He wasn't dead yet and it was getting on Buck's nerves. He took a deep breath and then, just before Jim could grope the knife handle, Buck kicked him as hard as he could right under his chin. Jim's head shot back with a sickening snap and then he was still, the only thing keeping his head on his shoulders was the skin and tissue inside. The bone was snapped in half.

Buck put his hands on his hips and then scowled down at the body. He had really wanted to take his time with this fucker. He toed at Jim's leg, causing the body to sway slightly.

He heard Daryl groan and when he looked over and saw that the boy had his back to him, leaned over with his hands on his knees, puking up all them burgers he ate at the cookout. Buck shook his head and smirked as he approached him. He patted his back gently.

"You okay, boy?" He asked, his voice low.

Daryl gagged and threw up again but then he nodded. "I'm good."

Buck made a face. "Goddamn, son. How much ya eat tonight?"

For some reason this caused Daryl to gag some more so Buck backed away and left him be.

~H~

Carol stood with her back to the wall, chewing her thumb nail as she waited for Buck to return with Daryl. He had to have gotten to him in time.

"He'll be alright, sweetheart." The big man standing with her said softly. "I got some Valium if ya need a few. You're shakin' like a leaf."

Carol pulled her thumb nail away from her mouth and frowned at him. "I don't need drugs." She muttered.

Oscar just shrugged and leaned his back against the wall. He had made a few phone calls when Buck had went in after Daryl, letting some other people know that the search was off and to go on home. She had no idea who the guy was but he was very kind to her while they waited. She knew he was suppose to be some sort of bad guy, but then again, so were the Dixons.

"Thank you, Oscar. For helping Buck find us." She said softly, needing to talk so she wasn't lost in her won thoughts. Daryl had told her he loved her. She should have felt elated that he had finally voiced it but it had scared her to death. What if he only said it then because he knew he wouldn't have another chance to say it to her?

"Buck's family." Oscar said simply.

"So that makes me family by default, I assume." She asked absently as she drilled holes into the open back door with her eyes.

Oscar chuckled. "I suppose so." he nudged her with his elbow and offered her a kind smile when she looked up at him. "Stop your worryin'."

She didn't drag her eyes away from the doorway. "I never had a big family. It was just my mom and dad and me. I lost my mom early on. My dad passed quite a few years ago. Then my grandparents. I never thought I would have so many rough men looking out for me like a little sister. You should come to dinner one night."

"Never thought Buck Dixon would ever look at a girl and see a daughter instead of a fresh piece of... Well, you know." He winked. "And dinner sounds real nice."

She almost smiled but just then someone emerged from the doorway. Buck was hard to miss. She saw Daryl nearly stumble out after him and then she was running towards them. Daryl caught her around the waist as soon as she reached him. She was sobbing into his shirt before she could even wrap her arms around his neck. He was nearly squeezing the life out of her but she didn't care. He could have been killed and she was only just now letting herself_ feel_ that.

"For god's sake, darlin'. Don't kiss him till after we get home and he rinses his damn mouth out." Buck muttered as he walked past them.


	52. Chapter 52

**I'm so glad everyone liked the last chapter as much as I did! I think we all need a Buck in our lives. *sigh* Anyhow. Now I have loose ends to tie up! And I do want to keep going for just a little bit so we can see the relationships grow a little. Then I'm moving on to the sequel. After yesterdays chapter I really can't wait to see Buck fight off some Walkers. Thank you all for reading and I hope you have a great day! =)**

Chapter Fifty Two

Oscar left after receiving a hug from Carol. He promised to be there for dinner Monday night. Daryl watched the two of them in disbelief. Daryl had known Oscar his whole life, even liked the guy, but Oscar was more like Buck than even Oscar would like to admit. And it was obvious that he was someone else that would jump in front of a train to save the crazy girl. He understood why _he_ felt that way but the lure she had for other people was a mystery to him. Everyone loved her. It caused him to wonder how she had ended up marrying the one person that didn't.

Buck had made Daryl call Merle on Oscars phone so his brother would know they were safe. Merle's voice had been full of so much emotion that it stunned him. It hadn't taken him long, however, to start making fun of him for going off and getting himself kidnapped. He was glad when Merle demanded he give the phone to Carol.

After that Buck made one more call and then Oscar had taken off, waving away their thanks but flashing Carol an wide grin when she reminded him about dinner. Now they were alone, waiting on whoever Buck had called. Whoever it was had even been instructed to bring along some mouthwash. Buck sent him a wink then, causing Daryl to roll his eyes at him.

He was worried now. He kept his arms around Carol's middle, keeping her back pressed against his chest, fearing that this would cause him to be too paranoid to ever let her go again. He was glad that it was over. Jim was dead and so was Jenna and now they didn't have that cloud hanging over their heads. He wondered what that would feel like. Just them living. Not being afraid all the time. It was going to be something else. He was looking forward to it.

They did have just one more hurdle to get through before that could happen, however. He didn't want to bring it up in front of Carol but since he didn't have any plans to let her out of his sight, ever again, he had no choice. Buck had come too far and Daryl had made a decision to protect the man, just like Buck had protected him.

"We gotta say it was me, Buck." he said quietly as he leaned his back against the garage and tightened his arms around Carol. He didn't miss how tense she became in his arms.

Buck's head whipped around. "The fuck are you talkin' about, boy?" he growled.

Daryl blew out a frustrated breath. "You're on parole Buck. You got a fuckin' record longer than me. The chances of this sendin' you back to that shit hole are high. We can't let that happen."

Buck looked outraged. "Are you stupid?" He hissed. "You're gonna tell them mother fuckers the truth, you hear me. Or our version of it. He kidnapped you both. He was gonna kill you. I showed up and he came at me with a knife. I didn't have a choice. That's the story. You was both still tied up."

Daryl shook his head. "That ain't gonna work. All they'll say to that is, you got the knife away long enough to stab him with it. Then you broke his fuckin' neck. That's over kill. They'll think you need to be put away for life. You ain't goin' back to that prison. Not for this."

Buck started pacing back and forth, anger radiating off his large frame. He stopped and then closed the distance between them in a few long strides. Carol slipped out of Daryl's grip and moved a few feet away, Buck got closer, looming over him like some kind of pissed off ogre. He was so close that Daryl didn't have a choice but to crane his neck to look up at his face but it was cloaked in shadows.

"You're gonna tell'em it was me." Buck growled.

"No I ain't. Stop bein' so goddamn stubborn, Buck. You're damn near seven feet tall and you weigh at least three hundred pounds and every fuckin' bit of it is as solid as the wall behind me. Jim is what, five ten, a hundred and eighty if he's soakin' wet. Ain't nobody gonna believe that he was any kind of threat to you. No judge, no jury. You'll be fucked."

"That's my problem. You keep your mouth shut." Buck hissed, leaning down into Daryl's face.

"No. It's _our _fuckin' problem. You wanted to make things better. You wanted me back. Fine. You got me. This is the kind of stupid shit you're suppose to do for people that you love, you fuckin' dumb ass. This is what bein' a Dixon is suppose to mean." Daryl was getting more mad every second. "Is that what you wanna hear? You wanna hear that nothin' you ever did then matters now? It don't fuckin' matter, alright. None of it. Nothin' you did then means anything. You ain't goin' back. I need you. Merle needs you. Carol needs you and you ain't goin' back." His voice broke at the end, pushing through a lump in his throat. "I don't give a fuck if I'm twenty years old, I need my dad. I don't even care if I sound like a pussy. Please. I gotta do this. I ain't losin' you." He was whispering now, trying hard to fight back tears that were nothing but the ultimate sign of weakness to him.

He braced himself for rejection. He braced himself for the rage he thought might be on it's way. He squeezed his eyes shut, tears spilling, when he felt Buck's hand wrap around the back of his head but the pain he had been expecting never came. Instead Buck pulled him the few inches that separated them until he felt his forehead hit the block wall of Buck's chest. He hadn't even realized that he had any walls left until they crashed down around him once Buck brought his other arm up and wrapped it cautiously around his back. He felt like a kid. Some broken and wounded kid that was unable to reign in his emotions. He felt pain, but it was a welcome thing. It felt like parts of himself were laid open, sensitive to touch from being hidden away for so long. Buck's acceptance had always been something Daryl had craved with every cell of his body. He never imagined he would receive it.

He kept his head pressed into Buck, his eyes still squeezed shut. He never knew Buck was even capable of a kind touch, not towards him, but he was. Buck brought his head down so his mouth was close to Daryl's ear, his fingers raking hesitantly through the hair at the back of Daryl's head. "I ain't nothin' compared to what you deserve. But ya gotta know I love ya, boy. You do know that, right?" Buck rasped, his voice low in his ear.

Daryl remembered the look of rage on Buck's face when he had been standing behind Jim tonight. He remembered how he had let Daryl pummel him, offering him whatever he needed to get past all the bullshit. Buck loved him. He didn't know for sure if he always had but he did now and that was what mattered. He nodded, tears still leaking from his sealed lids like a dam had been broken, soaking into Buck's t-shirt. He remembered what Merle had said to him in the truck. Now was the only fucking thing that did matter. Merle was pretty damn smart when he wasn't being such a dumb ass.

He felt Buck's chest rise and fall with a heavy breath. "You sure about doin' this? You know if you do then your ass is goin' to jail tonight. Until they get everything checked out you'll stay there. You know that?"

Daryl nodded again, a rush of relief drying his eyes but he still didn't pull away. Buck didn't seem to want to let go of him either. There was a hungry part of him that was being fed and he would berate himself for so much weakness later. Right now he just wanted to keep on feeling like that kid that was finally getting the attention he needed, finally getting the love from a parent that was long absent. "Don't let nothin' happen to her." He said after a few long minutes. "And make sure her and Merle don't start showerin' together or some shit."

A growl rumbled against his head, low in Buck's chest.

"Them two worry me." He muttered.

"Someone's coming." Carol said quietly from a few feet away.

Buck dropped his arms to his side at the same time Daryl stepped away. He felt weird. Lighter somehow. Carol crushed herself to him and sobbed into his shoulder. She knew what was going to happen. He was gonna get locked up. It wouldn't be for long though and the thought of it didn't even really bother him. What was a few days compared to what Buck would get? Buck wouldn't get out this time. It didn't matter if Jim had been a crazy piece of shit that deserved to die. That isn't what they would see. They would see a giant of a man with a huge rap sheet and who had killed in the past. They wouldn't see that when they looked at Daryl. His record was clean, he was about the same size as Jim. The rope burns on his wrists were proof that he had been tied up. All the evidence they gathered up would prove Jim to be the one that was responsible for all those deaths. And then Daryl would be released.

He ran his hands up and down Carol's back while Buck met someone half way to the garage. It was Shane Walsh. "What the fuck is he doin' here?" Daryl grumbled.

Carol tried to say something, hiccuped, and then buried her face in his chest and sobbed some more. He knew that she understood why he had to do this. He hadn't had time to talk to her about it but she understood it anyway.

Shane and Buck approached them then. Shane even thrusted a new bottle of mouthwash at Daryl. He let go of Carol long enough to rinse his mouth out several times. While he did this she hugged her arms around herself and kept crying.

"Buck, I gotta say, this ain't gonna be good for you. With your record, man, you ain't getting' out of this with a slap on the wrist." Shane said worriedly as he glanced from Daryl to Buck.

"Buck didn't do nothin'. He got here after it happened."

Shane looked at Daryl sharply and then ran a hand through his hair. "I already know he was here, Daryl."

"He was too late to do anything." Daryl said, his voice turning to ice as he glanced at Buck who was watching him with a pained expression.

Shane just gave him a sad smile and shook his head. "I'm gonna go ahead and call this in. I'll tell'em Carol called me. You don't wanna be a part of this then you might need to get your ass away from here, Buck."

"I'm stayin'. Tell'em I showed up afterwords. I ain't goin' anywhere yet." Buck said, the finality clear in his voice. "You tell'em you was drivin' by and happened to see Carol after she escaped. She flagged you down and then I showed up after you got here."

Shane looked concerned, like he wasn't sure if all this was a good idea.

Daryl pushed Carol away enough so he could really look at her. Her eyes were red and swollen, skittering away from his for the first time in a long time.

"You know I gotta do this, right?" He whispered.

She nodded but her chin trembled slightly. He huffed and then kissed her, hoping that she understood. Really understood why he was doing what he was doing. She threw her arms around his neck and responded instantly. He had to remember to thank Shane and Buck for the mouthwash. It would be a real mother fucker to not even get to kiss her goodbye cause his mouth was all pukey.

She pulled her face back just enough for her to lay her forehead against his. "I don't want Buck to go away forever, but this is gonna be hard."

"We'll be fine." He muttered against her lips.

She nodded but he could feel her trembling under his hands.

~H~

Carol hated this. She felt like she was the reason this was happening. She wasn't sure exactly what had happened down there but she was sure that it was bad. The cops that came were men she didn't know but Shane stayed with them, even calling Rick and giving him a heads up on what had happened. She couldn't believe he was going to lie to keep Buck out of prison. She knew Daryl couldn't stand him but he really was a stand up guy. Sure he was arrogant and he was usually a real smart ass as far as Daryl was concerned but he was really helping them right now. She was glad that he was her friend and she was glad that Buck wasn't going to have to go away.

There were three officers talking to Daryl at the moment, Shane, and now Rick, hovered close to him. Both of them standing with their hands on their hips and she was sure that they were making sure he wasn't being treated horribly. That made her feel a lot better.

Andrea showed up and talked to Buck for a few minutes. She came over to make sure Carol was okay, which she was not, but she nodded and offered the other woman a sad smile. She was going to take Beth home, figuring that the Dixons needed a night together, just them. Carol was worried about Merle being alone.

They carted Jim's body out and then shortly after that they had Daryl stand up and then they cuffed him. She felt like she was going to be sick. She stood in front of Buck, leaning her back into him as his arms stayed draped over her shoulders. He hadn't even let her go when Andrea reached up and kissed him. For all his flaws, Buck was the perfect dad. At least in her book. She had barely knew her own. He had always been away on business, but she had loved him anyway. He had been a good dad when he was around.

Rick even checked the cuffs to make sure they weren't on him too tight before they put him in the back of the car. He didn't look at them. She didn't know if she was happy about that or not. She didn't want him to have to see her crying again but she didn't want him to go without her getting to see is face once more.

She was next, answering the questions she was asked. Really, other than Buck being there, she didn't have to lie much. She hadn't been down there at all when Jim had died.

She watched the squad car pull away with blurry eyes. Would she ever stop crying over this? She had the overwhelming urge to go home. She wanted to curl up on the couch with Merle and watch all those stupid shows with him. She wanted to put her feet in Buck's lap and listen to one of those horribly gruesome stories he liked to tell her sometimes. She wanted to go upstairs and sleep with Daryl's arms wrapped around her.

"I wanna go home, Buck." She whispered when they were finished with their questions.

His huge hand covered hers and he tugged her along with him. He was silent until they were in the car.

"I shouldn't have let him do that." Buck said once she was next to him. He sounded defeated.

She looked at him sharply. "This is hard." She said in a voice that sounded stronger than she felt. "But it had to be done. He'll be home in a few days. You wouldn't be home ever again. Everything he said was the truth. We need you."

He started the car and pulled away from the curb. "It don't make it right. This ain't right at all."

"Nothing about tonight was right, Buck. It's all so pointless. But Daryl needed to do this for you. He loves you."

"He loves you too." He muttered, glancing at her.

She smiled. "I know. That's what he says."

Buck took one hand off the steering wheel and pulled her to him, tucking her into his side. "A few days wont kill us. You and Merle stay outta that goddamn bathroom." He gave her shoulder a squeeze.

~H~

Merle paced back and forth across the porch, waiting and worrying. He should have been with them tonight. There wasn't any reason for him to stay here and babysit the damn women. Andrea was tough as nails and Beth could handle her own too. He needed to be with his brother. If he would have been there then he could have went to jail for Buck. Not Daryl. This was all bullshit.

When he heard the engine he stopped pacing and finally sat down on the porch step next to Beth. He grabbed her hand. He felt bad for being such a distant asshole towards her but he was scared to death for his brother. What if they tried to pin the whole thing on him somehow? What if Shane wasn't really helping? Fuck, everybody knew he had it bad for Carol. Maybe this was how he was going to make sure he had his chance with her. He could pretend to be some fucking night in shining armor, doing all he could to save Daryl but in reality he could be setting this whole mother fucker up.

The car pulled into the driveway and he tightened his grip on her hand. She smiled at him.

"Everything'll be fine. Okay?" She said quietly.

He nodded. Andrea was going to take her home earlier but as soon as Beth heard that Daryl was going to be arrested she had demanded to be taken right back. He was glad that it had been her to come tell him instead of hearing it from Carol. He wasn't sure if he would have been able to deal with all of that. She was going to be hurting something awful and the last thing any of them could stand the thought of was her in pain. That one time he had pulled her hair didn't count.

He stood up, pulling Beth up with him. Carol and Buck looked like they had been ran through the fucking ringer. He winced when he gave her a once over and noticed how bad her wrists were cut up.

He looked up and met Buck's eyes. "Tell me you made it hurt." He growled, anger clouding his head.

Buck shrugged. "Might'a got a bit carried away. I'm sure he felt every second of it though. Made your little brother puke, if that tells ya anything."

Merle felt the grin split his face. "No shit?" he shook his head and loosened his grip on Beth's hand. "He's so delicate." Merle snorted.

"You guys are insane." Carol said as she shook her head and walked past them.

Merle reached out and stopped her, careful not to touch her wrist. He pulled her towards him and that was all she needed. He hugged her and she clung to him for a long time. He was so relieved that she was okay that it dulled the ache in his chest for his brother. She pulled away first and then hugged Beth. "Thank you. You know, for coming back and keeping him out of trouble."

Beth grinned and flicked a tear off Carol's cheek with her thumb before pushing her towards the door, keeping her arm around her waist. Beth glanced back at him. "Someone had to do the hard stuff while the rest of ya was out goofin' around."

Carol laughed but Merle just snorted.

The men followed the girls back into the house, prepared for a rough couple of nights.

~H~

_He opened the drawer and picked up the picture that was nearly worn from having been handled so often. It was a high school picture of her. It was the only one he had been able to save. He had others now but they weren't the same. They were more recent. After she had married Ed she had basically disappeared for a while and when she was seen she had looked too broken. Too scarred. She wasn't the same person. He wanted to help her but he couldn't. There wasn't really any way he could do that. _

_That was when he knew that it was hopeless. That it would be too hard to get to her if she had a husband. Especially if she was always locked away in that house. That was when he had started talking to Jim about her. After Jim had confided in him over coffee one morning that he was concerned that she was being abused by her husband. Jim had been pretty upset over it and he knew that the man was widowed. He knew how easy it would be to talk her into Jim's thoughts How easy it would be to force Jim to fall in love with the girl. Try to make the man believe he was really falling for her. He could tell that, since his wife had passed. that he was unstable at best. How easy it would be to have Jim do every bit of the dirty work. To let him spiral out of control. He saw it happening a while back ago and it only got worse once she had moved away from Ed and tried to start a life for herself in her grandmothers house._

_But that had failed. Jim had gotten out of control and those Dixons were much smarter than they looked. They had figured things out much faster than he thought anyone would. He couldn't help but be impressed. While the police were out looking for Ed Peletier, thinking he was the one behind the killings, the whole time the Dixon's had known it hadn't been Ed. He wasn't sure how they knew, since Ed really had up and disappeared. It had probably been Jim to kill the ugly wife beating bastard. He didn't care either way. He hated the man. Anyone that would hurt her deserved whatever they got._

_Jim was suppose to have killed the Dixon boy and taken Carol. That had been the plan. Jim had finally confided in him days ago that he had to do it. That he was running out of time. What a shame. Instead he had taken Daryl and Carol both, like an idiot._

_He stroked the bright smiling face in the photo. He wished he had the other photos as well. He had had a trunk full of things that had belonged to her. Photos and trinkets. Small odds and ends. All gone now. Burned up in a fire that was set by his own wife. She had called him sick and perverted. Said he was obsessed. He would have been the first to admit the obsessed part. From the moment he had first laid eyes on Carol he had been mesmerized by her kindness, her smile, her beauty. She had been absolutely perfect. And his wife had discovered that secret. But that was okay because shortly after that she had discovered that her breaks no longer worked. _

_He chuckled to himself. His wife had been a real piece of work. Hungry for power and social standing and nothing he had ever done was enough. But it would have been enough for Carol. She was too sweet and too good to make a man feel worthless. _

_He put the picture back into the drawer and closed it gently before going to the bar and pouring himself a stiff drink. He shook his head sadly. Poor Jim was dead now. Too caught up in his own game to have any hope of pulling himself out. But Jim would have gone off the deep end eventually anyway and gotten himself killed somehow. Or he would have simply killed himself. At least for the past year now he had had some sort of purpose. _

_If things would have gone according to plan then she could have been here with him right now. He could have been the one to rush in and save her. Kill the insane Jim and be her hero. But it didn't seem to be time yet. He was a very patient man. He had all the time in the world. And he wasn't as obsessed as his late wife had accused. He didn't mind that she romped around with the Dixon men. That didn't bother him in the least. He just wanted her. It was as simple as that. And he could wait for as long as he needed too. _

_He savored the flavor of the cognac before he let it slide down his throat. He gazed into the glass, lost in thought when he heard the sound of someone coming into his study._

_"Daddy?" Penny asked as she rubbed her eyes sleepily._

_He gave the sweet girl an indulgent smile. "How about I read you a bedtime story, honey?"_

_The little girl smiled and ran into her fathers arms. He took one last lingering look towards the drawer where Carol's high school picture was tucked away safe and sound._

_Yes, he was a very patient man._

**So, some of you can rest easy that you were right. It technically was Philip, but I couldn't really let him be the one actually doing everything. That would have been much too obvious. Sorry, SOA. Milton was completely innocent throughout the whole story ;) But now you all know who the man was that Jim confided in. The same man filling his head with crazy ideas to begin with.**

**And about Shane. I know that some of you may find it hard to believe that he would break the law to help the Dixons. I really don't know about that myself but I really ran his character through the ringer in my last story so I really wanted him to be a good good guy in this. He wasn't bad until the Lori thing in the show. So that is my only reason for him helping like he is. lol I hope it's enough.**

**Once again, thanks for reading! =)**


	53. Chapter 53

**This is super late, I know. I blame all of you Meth shippers. ;) This was my first time trying to write any kind of mild smut for this ship, don't get to excited cause it's a bit light... for now anyway, so I struggled a little. Nah, I struggled a lot. I really hope you're happy with it. If there are a billion mistakes then please forgive me, I am super sleepy and may not have caught half of them. Have a great morning and thank you for reading! =)**

Chapter Fifty Two

The first night was hard. Harder than she even imagined it would be. Carol didn't sleep at all. She laid there, staring up at the dark ceiling. She could smell him on the pillow and the blankets and it caused her stomach to ache. She was angry at herself for feeling as though she could hardly function while he was gone. But there was nothing to be done about that. She couldn't stop herself from feeling that way. That was just the way things were now.

She thought about going to Merle but Beth was with him and she knew how strange it would have been if she would have just showed up at his doorway with her blanket and then got in bed with the both of them. So she kept herself there, alone, in her empty room and waited for dawn to break.

She already felt ridiculous. She remembered what Jim had said about hiding in there and watching them so she had humiliated herself and asked Buck if he would check her room to make sure it was safe. She stood there while he checked under her bed and in the closet. Her face burned with embarrassment, even though it was just Buck and he wouldn't make fun of her. He even waited by the door until she crawled in the bed so he could turn off the light for her. He left the door cracked after he told her he would be back up to check on her later.

True to his word she counted five times that he stuck his head into her room to make sure she was alright. She would have smiled and let him know she was fine but she didn't want him to worry that she wasn't sleeping. He had enough to worry about so she wasn't going to dump her own misery on his lap.

As soon as she saw the first signs of dawn breaking outside her windows she had gotten up, showered, dressed and then headed downstairs to start the miserable day. No one spoke much. Even Merle was quiet and usually he was the one everyone depended on to crack a joke or give someone hell just to entertain. He was morose as him and Beth chewed their cereal in silence.

Cleaning up the mess from the ill fated party was something that had kept them busy for a while. Andrea was there and so was Beth so it didn't take as long as it could. Dinner was brutal all the way up until the phone rang.

Carol was surprised she hadn't missed the call with the turtles pace she used to get from the dining room to the kitchen.

Her heart almost leapt out of her chest when she heard the voice on the other end of the line.

"The hell took ya so long to get to the goddamn phone? I almost hung up." Daryl grouched into her ear and it was probably the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard.

"We were eating. How are you? When do you get to come home? Are they being mean to you in there? How are you calling straight through? I thought you had to call collect?"

"Slow down there, woman." He chuckled into her ear and the grin that split her face was so wide that it hurt. "They ain't too bad. Some of'em are real assholes but not all are. Shane said that the shit they are findin' in Jim's house is crazy. All sorts of pictures of you and shit. Even some of us together. They said it was fucked up. I should get out tomorrow. Rick slipped me his phone so I could call and it wouldn't be collect."

She leaned her back against the counter, pressing the phone so hard to her ear that it was actually hurting. "I miss you."

He sighed. "Same here. This place is bullshit. Whatcha wearin'?"

She laughed and looked down, not even sure what she had grabbed to wear for the day. "Your shirt and some jeans."

He laughed with her. He stayed on the phone with her for as long as he could but eventually Rick needed his phone back. One more impossibly long night and she would get to see him. Buck came in, carrying dishes right as she hung up the phone.

"He's coming home tomorrow." She said with a smile.

Buck nodded but he still looked grim. He had looked grim all day, not even Andrea could coax a smile out of him. Carol knew what it was. Guilt. She hated that he felt that way but there was nothing she could do about it. She approached him as he stacked the dishes for her. He never washed them but he always made it easier for her too. No one was perfect she supposed.

He looked so miserable that it made her want to cry again and she found herself wrapping her arms around his waist before he could step past her to leave the kitchen. It felt strange how small she felt near him. He was nearly a foot and a half taller than her so it made sense. Buck made everyone feel small.

He looked down at her and forced a smile as his heavy arms draped over her slender shoulders.

"He's coming home tomorrow, Buck. Stop looking so miserable." She said in a quiet voice.

He nodded. "I know that. Still don't make it right that he's there at all. Shoulda been me in the back of that goddamn car last night. I let my own kid take the fall for somethin' I did. That's about the most pussy move anybody could do."

Carol felt her feature harden at his words. "No, it isn't. The most pussy thing you could do is leave your family for no other reason than to save your pride. There isn't anything wrong with what the two of you decided to do. He's coming home and you never would have. Now stop your damn pouting." She was in full scowl mode by the time she was done.

He narrowed his eyes and leaned down so only inches separated them. His face grew incredibly dark but she didn't feel one ounce of fear. "You know what happened to the last asshole who talked to me like that?" He growled, his teeth clenched.

She shook her head.

He pecked her lightly on the cheek and then stood up quickly. "Not a fuckin' thing, baby girl. You're the first one with the balls to do it." He winked at her before he sauntered out of the room.

She grinned and followed him, her step feeling lighter after hearing Daryl's voice.

~H~

Merle hated this. He knew that Buck hated it too but he was pretty sure that he felt guiltier than Buck did. At least Buck had been there. Merle hadn't even gotten a chance to say anything to him before he got locked up. Merle had always figured if Daryl ever got himself arrested then he would be right there in the car with him.

He sighed loudly and raised up on his elbows when he heard his bedroom door shut quietly. He had expected it to be Carol but he was pleasantly surprised.

"I thought you went home?" He asked as he raked his eyes down the length of Beth. She had left a few hours ago, planning on spending the night on the farm. He had to swallow hard. She had changed when she got home and the cut off shorts she was sporting were pretty damn short and he was almost certain she wasn't wearing a bra.

"I did. Caught a ride back with Glen. Daddy doesn't even seem to mind anymore. Do you?" She asked as she crawled across the bed towards him.

He shook his head, unable to keep his eyes off her chest as the neck of her loose fitting tank top dipped down. "Don't mind at all." he muttered. He swallowed hard and his eyes widened when she didn't flop down next to him the way she usually did but put both hands on his bare chest and pushed him back down onto his back, swinging one leg over and attacking his mouth with her own.

This wasn't something he was used to with her. She was learning, getting more and more bold but she was still miles away from this. Or so he thought. He had to stifle a groan as his hands ran up her thighs without his brain even telling them too. He wasn't sure what the hell had gotten into her but a part of him wished she would just stop. The other part of him wished she'd rip that goddamn tank top off...

She pulled her mouth away from his and stared down at him with wide blue eyes before she started kissing him again, deeper than before. They had kissed a lot. He liked kissing her. He could kiss her for hours. She was damn good at it but he never let things progress any further than that. It was obvious as fuck that she was even less experienced than his brother had been before he met Carol. But no one would have been able to guess that at the moment.

His hands moved up further until he felt the soft skin at the small of her back. He stilled his hands before they could go any further than that. He usually avoided to much touching, knowing how hard it would be to stop once he started and knowing that she would let him to whatever he wanted to her didn't help matters any. He wasn't that guy. Not anymore and he knew, even if she thought she was, she wasn't ready for all of that yet.

When he felt her hips move over him his eyes went wide. There was definitely something there to feel and she was moving right on top of it. He rolled her over onto her back and moved his body down a little further so his crotch was pressed safely into the mattress instead of right between her legs, which quickly locked around his waist.

What the fuck was this girl trying to do to him? He grudgingly tore his mouth away from hers, she was breathing hard, looking up at him with total trust in her eyes. He felt like putting his fist through a wall. "The hell are ya doin', girl?" He whispered, making sure he didn't sound too harsh even though he was feeling pretty fucking frustrated at the moment. Too much had happened, his nerves ran ragged by the events of the last few days. She didn't understand that a man like him would do nearly anything for a little bit of distraction. Almost anything. He wasn't going to do this. Maybe some day but not right now. Not when the only reason he would be doing it was to forget about the stress of everything that had happened.

Her eyes moved away from his and she looked as though she was trying to work on evening out her breathing. He was working on not ripping her fucking clothes off. He was always torn when he was with her. He was even more torn when she was wrapping those fucking legs around him and begging him for it with every stroke of her tongue against his. He scooted himself down a little further. If his dick had been a dog he'd have locked it in a kennel by now for not wanting to listen to a word he was screaming at it.

"I'm tired of just kissin'." She whispered back, still not meeting his eyes. "Don't you wanna do somethin' else for once?" her eyes finally flicked towards his and held them.

He raised up on his arms and frowned down at her. She kept her legs locked firmly around his waist. "Ain't nothin' wrong with just kissin'. Even if that is all we do." He grumbled, his voice much more husky than he wanted it to be. She didn't miss it either. Her lips twitched.

"There ain't nothin' wrong with kissin', but I know that it gets better than just kissin'." She said as a blush crept all the way up from her neck to her hairline.

God, she had no fucking idea how much better it got. He sure as hell wasn't gonna tell her that though. "You ain't ready for no shit like that and you know it." he growled, trying once more to command certain parts of himself to stop jumping at the mention of things getting better. Stupid hungry bastard.

She actually scowled. "I'm really sick of that, ya know. Why does everybody get to tell me what I do and don't need. What I can and can't have what I am and am not ready for? I'll tell you what I'm ready for, Merle. I'm ready to leave this room feelin' somethin' other than confused. Cause that's how I feel every time I walk out that door. Not in my mind but everywhere else. It's getting real old and I have no idea what to do about that. But I know that you do."

His breath hitched up a few notches as her eyes drilled holes into his own. He knew what she was talking about. He had the same problem. Putting so much restrictions on himself usually had him standing for at least thirty minutes under a cold as fuck shower trying to talk himself out of a hormone driven panic attack. Jesus, the girl was so clueless that she didn't even realize what it was she was feeling. She was horny as fuck and didn't even know how to deal with it.

He swallowed hard. He wasn't gonna fuck this girl. Nope. No way was he going to give into that shit tonight. He glanced over his shoulder at the door she had deliberately closed and then towards the lamp that shone on the nightstand just a foot or so away. He reached out and turned it off. He wasn't going to do anything that he would regret in the morning but he was going to limit the temptation by making it harder to see.

He brought his lips to her ear then, blood rushing behind his own ears with a loud roaring sound. "You want somethin' better?" He whispered. He could swear he could smell the want on her.

Her own breath caught in her throat and she nodded as his lips grazed lightly across the skin below her ear. He raised up onto his knees and looked her over, soft moonlight coming in through the sheer curtains that hung over his windows illuminating her pale skin, darkening her wide eyes as she watch him.

He had to keep his fool self in check. Had to focus on not getting carried away. He had to keep his goddamn dick in his pants. Pants that were fitting a hell of a lot more tight than they did when he had first came to his room. He unbuttoned her shorts and slid them down her legs, grinding his teeth together when he did the same to the light colored panties. He kept his eyes on hers, too afraid to look down for fear there wouldn't be any controlling himself if he saw her like that.

"You wanna stop now?" He asked, barely able to hear his own voice through that rushing sound in his ears.

She shook her head no but her thighs were now pressed together firmly, her knees pulled up. She was wound up tighter than a spring but she looked scared to death. He lowered himself back down next to her, kissing his way up her jaw until she turned her head and kissed his mouth hesitantly. It almost reminded him of that first time he had really kissed her, back in the garage.

He put one hand on her knee and kissed her until she responded the way she usually did and he felt her relax into it. That was when he finally felt her legs part slightly, which gave him access to move one large hand down her inner thigh, very slowly.

His heart was beating erratically. How long had it been since he had touched a woman like this sober? One that he wasn't just wanting to fuck and then kick out of his bed? Or let his brother kick them out of his bed when he felt a little guilty for using them like he always did. He couldn't even remember the last time.

He was almost there, her chest was rising and falling rapidly as she tried hard to catch her breath. This was going to be hell on him. He hadn't even touched her yet. He was close, so close he could feel the heat pouring over his hand, but he hadn't touched her. Just a few more inches to go but he had to brace himself. He had to keep reminding himself that this was Beth and she was quickly becoming one of the most important people in his life and he had to take his time. He had to keep himself from fucking it all up. He could go take care of himself later or something. He couldn't let himself even consider doing more. All he needed to do was give her just a little bit. Just make her feel good and then stop.

The breath exploded from her lungs when his fingers grazed over her, slow and light. He had to clench his teeth together once again when he pulled his face back enough to look at her. She was staring at him again but she didn't look afraid anymore. He took this as a good sign so he started exploring a little more boldly. He was teasing her, prolonging it as much as he could since as long as he could focus on her he wasn't as focused on the painful throbbing in his pants.

She grabbed the sides of his face and pulled his mouth back to hers, kissing him harder than she had ever kissed him before, his head clouded up a bit more and before he could even think about what he was about to do he pushed his middle finger into her as his thumb worked in quick circles. Wet heat surrounded that one digit causing him to growl into her mouth like some kind of pissed off animal at the same time she gasped into his, followed by a quick whimper and for one terrifying second he thought he had hurt her.

He was about to move his hand away from her altogether until suddenly he felt her tighten around that one finger and then whimper once more before her eyes snapped open and her heels dug into the mattress. He could feel it himself then, the tension building deep inside her like a tidal wave right before it crashes. And son of a bitch did that wave crash. She was throbbing around his finger, pulsing liquid heat that had him nearly coming with her when she choked his name out of her mouth right before she covered her face with the pillow that had previously been under her head. The thought of something other than his finger being squeezed dry by her almost had him ready to cry like a bitch. Her legs opened wider and then her back arched. Man, this was something else. He'd never made someone come this hard in his life, he was pretty sure of it. It made him wonder if she had ever even done this to herself. This caused him to growl again as that imagine crashed through his mind.

She finally stilled around him and he moved his hand away from her slowly and yanked the pillow off her face. "You alright?" He asked worriedly when he saw how glazed her eyes looked as she stared up at the ceiling.

He shouldn't have done that. He should have left her the hell alone. He was starting to feel really bad until her eyes slid over and met his.

"What the heck was that?" She breathed right before she attacked his mouth. He grunted at the impact, an arm going around her waist instinctively. The momentum had him reeling, his fragile self control was stretched as taught as it would go but Beth must not have realized that when she pulled him towards her more. He was on top of her before realizing he was even heading there to begin with. She was willing and she was hot for it, he knew that. It would be easy. All he had to do was shuck off those restraining fucking jeans and sink into what he knew was going to be the best pussy he had ever had in his whole fucking life.

With that thought he jerked away from her and scurried off the bed before those incredible legs wrapped around him again. He felt like shit for even thinking about her like that. He ran a hand through his short cropped hair. She wasn't just a piece of ass. She was Beth. Goddamn it this was too much.

She raised up on her elbows and frowned. "What's wrong?" she asked, brow furrowed.

He swallowed and shook his head as he backed towards the door. "Nothin'. I gotta go... do somethin' real quick."

Her frown deepened for a second but then she actually giggled. "Are you about to go...?"

"Shut it, Beth." he grumbled and then bolted out of the room.

He almost slammed the bathroom door in his haste, he locked it, knowing the lock didn't work. He prayed to God then that Carol didn't choose this moment to walk in on him.

~H~

Daryl woke up to the sound of Rick's obnoxious ass voice yelling into his cell. "Rise and shine, Mr. Dixon! Time to go home."

Daryl moved his arm from over his eyes and raised up. "No shit?"

"No shit." Shane said as he came into view. "It's a damn shame too Dixon. You've been a pleasant guest here. My favorite by far. Must be all that conversation. You're a real chatter box, ya know that?" He flashed a grin.

"Fuck off, Walsh." He grumbled as he rolled his eyes. He liked him. He fucking hated him for making him like him and Shane knew it too. That made it even worse. He stepped out of the door that Rick held open for him.

"You just have to go sign a few things and collect your personal items and then you're outta here." Rick said as he led him down the hall, past the other cell doors.

Daryl did all of that in a hurry. He didn't even read the papers he was signing. He was ready to get his ass home. Now. He stuffed his wallet into his pocket after counting the money in it to make sure the asshole that was eyeballing him hadn't stolen any of it. It was all there. All forty three dollars.

"Thank you, I'm sure we'll be seein' you again." The asshole called as he turned to head towards the door.

"Suck it, asshole." Daryl called back over his shoulder.

The cop stood up. "Hey!" He shouted, causing Daryl to turn around.

"Sit your ass down desk jokey." Shane said angrily, causing Daryl's eyes to widen. "What the hell's wrong with you, huh?

He didn't hang around to watch the two of them argue. He was halfway down the steps before he realized he hadn't even called home to tell them he'd been released. He was about to turn around and head back in to use the phone when someone said his name. He looked up and saw Lori Grimes grinning at him.

"Hi, Daryl." She said brightly. It was too fucking early in the morning for anyone to be in that good of a mood.

Daryl nodded and was about to turn to follow her in when Rick and Shane came out. Of course the three of them had to stand right in front of the damn door so he had to wait for them to get done shooting the shit before he could go back inside.

"Hey, you need a ride?" Lori asked as she glanced back at him.

Daryl shook his head, noticing the smiles that Rick and Shane both were trying to hide. "The hell you two snickerin' about?" He scowled.

Shane sighed loudly. "You. You know Carol Mason for a day and then move in with her. Never even seen ya talk to a woman before that and now you're too damn bashful to even catch a ride with Lori here. You're somethin' else, Dixon."

Lori put her hands on her skinny hips and gave Shane a dirty look. "Leave him alone Shane. It's nice to meet a man that don't throw himself at every pair of boobs that walk by." She raised a brow at him.

Daryl was still scowling. Well, fuck. If he ignored the barbs and went on in to call home then he was surely going to end up being the butt of Shane's jokes for a while. If he went ahead and caught a ride with Lori then... well, then he would probably be stuck having to have a conversation with her and that didn't sound too fun at all. He huffed.

"Fuck, lady. Let's go." He grumbled, causing Shane and Rick to both break out in grins. Fucking assholes.

Lori smiled and hurried down the steps. He followed her towards Rick's truck.

"I just have to make one quick stop and then I'll take you straight home." She said as she backed out of the parking space.

He groaned inwardly. Just great. Now he was going to be stuck riding around all damn morning when all he wanted to do was go the fuck home.

"So, how are you and Carol doing?" She asked as she glanced at him with a smile.

Why the fuck was she so goddamn smiley? He shrugged and looked out is window. "Fine." he muttered.

"You're not as talkative as your brother are you?" Lori asked.

"Nope." He answered without looking at her.

"So, your dad and Andrea, huh?" She pressed.

This fucking sucked. He should have called home and had one of them come pick him up. "Yep." He said in response to her question.

"Do they really get along? It's so weird. She hated you all." Lori blurted.

Daryl's head shot to the side to look at her. Her eyes were wide. She was one of them blabber mouths that didn't even mean to blabber.

"I mean... she didn't _hate_ you all." She tried to cover her tracks. Daryl thought it was pretty funny.

"I wouldn't know if she did or not. Kinda hard to figure a woman out with her tongue shoved down your dads throat. But I gotta feelin' she likes us all just fine now. Especially Buck."

Lori flashed him a relieved grin. "I guess she does."

She was thankfully quiet after that until they pulled up in front of Hershel's clinic. "The fuck we doin' here?" he asked.

Lori opened the door and hopped out. "He called this morning and asked if I'd hang some flyers. I guess some people moved away and left their dog tied up in their yard. No food or water or anything. By the time anyone noticed the thing was half dead. Hershel's been nursing him back to health and he's tryin' to find someone to adopt him."

"Abandoned, huh?" Daryl muttered as Lori slammed the door. He got out and followed her into the clinic.

Maggie was sitting behind a desk flipping through a magazine looking thoroughly bored. When she looked up she smiled at Lori and then, to Daryl's surprise she flashed him a grin. "I'm glad to see your a free man, Daryl."

He nodded not sure what to say to her. Maybe she was over hating his brother's guts. That would surely make her sister happy.

Hershel came through a swinging door behind the desk that Maggie was sitting at. He was holding a stack of flyers as he hobbled along on one crutch. "Thank you Lori. This is a big help. Hopefully someone will call soon to take the mongrel." He said without looking away from the flyers in his hand.

On cue the swinging door opened again and out trotted a dog. Daryl frowned.

"That him?" He asked Hershel.

Hershel looked up like he hadn't realized Daryl was even there. "Oh, hello there, son. Didn't even see ya there." He glanced down at the dog that sat down on his haunches in front of the desk. "That's him. We call him Blue."

Daryl glanced up. "That's original." He muttered but his eyes went right back to the dog. It had one blue eye, one brown. It cocked it's head quizzically and then it's tongue lolled out the side of its mouth as it studied Daryl. One of it's ears stood up straight while the other flopped forward. "Ain't this an Australian Shepherd?" He asked as he kept eying the dog.

All three sets of eyes looked towards him. Four if he counted the dog.

"That's right. Beautiful dog but he's stubborn as all get out. Smart though. Smarter than I thought anyway. Jim Rothenberg came by the other day and I had to lock Blue up in the back. I thought he was gonna attack the man. I guess he knew somethin' I didn't at the time." Hershel shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, son. For what you had to do."

Daryl could swear that fucking dog was grinning at him, eyes half closed and that one ear perked just waiting for him to say something.

"I'll take'em." He heard himself say. He glanced up at Hershel and watched the old man's face break out in a grin.

"Son, I could kiss you right now." Hershel said excitedly.

"How much?" He asked, ignoring Hershel's threat to kiss him. He only had the forty three dollars. He just had to hope that was enough. He didn't even know why the hell he wanted to the stupid dog. He hadn't ever had a dog before.

"Free." Hershel said hurriedly. "I'm not in the business of actual pet rescues so it isn't a formal thing. You want him, he's yours. He's been fixed and he's up to date on all his shots. He's healthy."

Daryl scowled and him and the dog both gave Hershel a look. "Ya chopped his nuts off?"

Hershel hid a smile. "Well, it's better for'em. Less of a risk of him runnin' off and getting himself hurt."

"Sorry, man. Didn't get to ya in time." Daryl said to the poor nutless bastard.

Blue made his decision then. He trotted over and took a seat right next to Daryl, leaning into his leg and looking up at Hershel like he wanted him to get on with it.

"Maggie, go grab him a few things from the back to get him started. Free of charge. You're doing me a real favor, Daryl."

A few minutes later Daryl was tossing a bag of dog food and other goods for the dog into the back of the truck. Without a word Daryl unhooked the leash and put the tailgate down. Blue jumped in without being told.

Lori was thankfully quiet on the way back. She just drove with a small smile playing around the corners of her mouth. Daryl decided that, even though he liked her well enough, that she was most likely smoking weed behind Rick's back. She smiled too much.

He thanked her as he climbed out of the truck and gathered up all the stuff Hershel had given him. Blue followed him up the porch steps and sat down, eyes scanning the yard, as Daryl fished his key out of his pocket and opened the door. The dog walked right in like he already knew he was home.

Anticipation kept him from doing anything other than bolting up the stairs after he dumped all the stuff on the floor. Blue followed close on his heels. Their door was open when he reached it. He looked down. "Stay here a minute." He whispered.

Blue sat down and watched him until he disappeared into their room. Daryl put his hands on his hips and shook his head as soon as he looked at the bed. Buck was laying on top of the covers with one arm under his head and the other wrapped around Carol's shoulders. She was curled up into his side with the blanket pulled up to her chin.

It felt like something was beating it's wings against his stomach when he saw her and the smile on his face was so big it actually hurt. He crept around to her side of the bed and shook her shoulder gently. She rolled over onto her back and stretched before she opened her eyes. When she finally did she sat straight up.

"Daryl!" She gasped and then had her arms around his neck, pulling him down almost on top of her as she kissed him.

He felt like he hadn't seen her in a year and the only thing he could think about was how fucking good she felt. Until some big mouth had to shatter the moment.

"Jesus Christ. Couldn't you at least give a man some warnin'? Let me get outta the bed first before you start your shit. I ain't Merle for fuck's sake." Buck grumbled as he climbed out off the bed.

Daryl still didn't break the kiss. "Mmm hmm..." Was his only response.

"I swear," Buck huffed as his voice got further away.

He finally pulled away and then kissed her again, grinning against her lips.

"Hey! There's a goddamn dog in the house!" Buck yelled.

That finally got Daryl's attention. He'd forgotten about the damn dog as soon as he saw her. He crawled off of her and stood back up.

"Dog?" She asked, unable to take her eyes off his, smile still in place.

He nodded. "Hershel fixed him up after his owners bailed on him and left him for dead." He shrugged. "Figured what the fuck. You're into strays." He smirked and then glanced towards the door. "Alright, come on in."

Carol almost squealed like a kid when Blue trotted in and jumped up onto the bed. She was on her knees, scratching him behind his ears and letting him get dog drool all over her face. Maybe now she'd shut the fuck up about kids.

She grabbed Daryl's hand and pulled him back down onto the bed with her. Blue took the hint and hopped down, nails clicking on the hardwood as he followed Buck down the hall. Smart dog.

"I missed you." She said against his lips.

"I missed you too." he muttered, snaking his hand under her hair so he could cup the back of her neck. "I need a shower." He said before he pulled away.

She smiled wickedly reminding him of one of the millions of reasons he was really fucking happy to be home.

"What's with Buck sleepin in here, anyway?" He asked as she dragged him towards the bathroom.

"I had a nightmare and he woke me up. I don't like sleeping alone." She muttered.

"Ain't gonna have that problem no more." he grumbled. "That was about the hardest fuckin' day of my life. And I've had some rough days." his hand tightened on hers.

"Mine too. Record book rough." She said with a shake of her head.

**I had to bring in Blue because I used a dog at the very beginning of this chapter and I promised a friend that I would bring another one in. So this is for her! Much love to you my friend! And I have to say right now, the dog I killed at the start of this story was a faceless nameless thing that I had no attachments too. I can't, I repeat, I can not kill animals. Unless it's squirrels and such for food. But this dog will have a long happy life, even in the sequel. Now, It is bed time for me! **


	54. Chapter 54

**This one is on time! Of course, it is shorter so that is probably why. This isn't very exciting but it's a filler and you all seem to enjoy those. I had to do some work on Buck and Andrea. Them damn Dixon's and their self esteem issues just kill me. But it's realistic I suppose. There will be some steamy Bandrea in the next chapter, so that should make some of you happy. And don't worry cause I haven't forgotten about the Caryl. It's coming too. Thanks so much for reading! I'm glad Blue was a hit with you all. Have a great Friday!**

Chapter Fifty Four

Buck had to force himself to keep a straight face. If he didn't then he was going to sit there and grin like an idiot and surely somebody would call him out on it. He still felt like shit about what happened but Carol had been right. It really would have been a pussy move to tell them the truth and get sent away for life just to save face. It didn't make any sense. He still hated that Daryl had to go in his place though.

Jim was beyond guilty from what he had heard and as far as anyone was concerned Daryl did what he had to do to survive. Cut and dry case of self defense. It helped that they had collected some evidence to prove that Daryl, in their opinion, had been so remorseful for what he had done that it had made him physically ill. Merle could have killed Jim, no problem. Daryl could have too to save his ass or one of theirs, but Daryl wasn't a killer. Somehow Daryl hadn't been born with that in him. Buck grudgingly remembered a time where that had made him sick. It had made him look at Daryl like he was weaker than him and Merle. He knew that wasn't the case. The boy had more grit than Buck could ever have imagined. Even if he did puke at the sight of dead bodies.

Him and Carol came around the corner together, hair damp. Buck grumbled to the dog that sat under the table next to his legs. It really was good to see Carol acting like Carol again. He had been worried about her. Them two kids had it bad for each other. Really bad. Carol looked like death warmed over until he called last night. After that she had been fine until she went to bed. He checked on her once and she was crying in her sleep. He agreed to stay with her until she went back to sleep but then he must have fallen asleep himself.

"You getting those out today?" Carol asked as she sat down across from him at the kitchen table, eyes bright and her signature smile right where it should be. He was happy when she was happy. Most of the time anyway.

He nodded. He didn't know for sure but he had to go get himself checked out and he was going to do what he could to scare that fucking doctor into taking the damn staples out. They were starting to itch. The pain wasn't sharp anymore, surprisingly enough after all the shit he put his body through since he had gotten out of the hospital. It was more of an ache than anything. He was a fast healer.

The dog ditched him for Daryl who was rifling through the refrigerator.

"Andrea didn't stay for very long last night. That was weird." Carol said cautiously.

He sighed, hoping she had been too absorbed with her own misery to notice his. He felt his good mood fly right out the window. He wasn't all too sure if him and Andrea were going to work out. For one, he had never asked for a fucking relationship to begin with. Everything seemed to happen fast around here and she was one of those things that just sort of fell into his lap. Quite literally. She kind of fucked with his head and he didn't like that. She was a distraction. She was an observant pain in the ass and she was confusing the hell out of him. He always seemed to be in control of everything around him. He was solid and capable. Until it came to women. Her in particular.

At first it had been Jenna. It had only ever been Jenna until now. She had wormed her way into every cell he was made out of and started chewing like a fucking termite when she knew she had him hooked. He had put up with every single thing she had thrown at him. He was in pretty bad shape emotionally when he had met her to begin with and all those years ago he had thought he had found a safe haven in her. Someone that would simply be there. He had really fucked up there. He didn't think he had ever been as wrong as he had been when he let himself trust Jenna.

There had been women before her and women since her but never a woman that made him feel like his defenses were dropping. Not until now. At first it had been fun. Andrea was young, hot, successful. She was her own woman. All of those things would attract a man to her. That's what it had been. He had really just wanted to sleep with her. He thought he would have a good time and then send her ass packing when he was finished with her. Hell, he hadn't even liked the bitch. But then something changed. He was the kind of man that prided himself on his strengths and learned from his mistakes. The simple truth was, that woman, much like Jenna before her, made him weak. She wasn't just another bitch. She was something different. She was something that scared the holy hell out of him.

"Buck?" Carol asked quietly.

He looked up and met her troubled eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

He stood up and stretched. "I'm fine. Just tired I suppose." He lied. He wasn't tired one goddamn bit.

She looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry about last night."

He smiled weakly and tucked a stray lock behind her ear. "Wasn't you, darlin'. Ain't been sleepin' good for a while now." he dropped his hand and walked away.

He could feel her eyes on his back as he made his way upstairs to his room. He wasn't sleeping in the damn guest room anymore. He wasn't a fucking guest. And besides, he could still smell the damn woman on the bed downstairs. He didn't want to smell her. He didn't want to think about her. Unfortunately for him though that's all he had been able to do since he sent her home yesterday. She hadn't deserved it. He'd been a real dick but better now than down the road when she decided it would be fun to fuck with his head.

Worrying about Daryl had taken his mind off of her. Daryl was home now, though, and he was fucking _drowning _in thoughts of the damn witch. He wouldn't soon forget the look on her face when he had told her that it would be best for her to go on back to her place since the whole Jim problem was solved and she didn't have anything to worry about anymore. He'd been pretty cold about it too, like he had gotten what he wanted and she was dismissed. Like that was the real fucking reason he kept her around. At first she looked at him like he was crazy. Then she looked hurt. Then she stiffened up that upper lip like a trooper and nodded, smiling and telling him thanks. Then she was gone.

Thanks.

He didn't even know what the fuck she was thanking him for. Thanks for the protection. Thanks for the good time. Thanks for letting her know that he was some kind of fucking head case that was only just now able to accept the fact that he loved his own kin. Thanks Buck, you fucking bastard.

He shook his head angrily but kept his temper from boiling over and causing him to put his fist through a wall. Senseless violence was a waste of energy. He didn't even feel like he had any at the moment. He sat on the edge of his bed and swiped a hand across his face. It had been really good for a few days. He'd enjoyed having her around. She was funny and she was interesting. She didn't put up with any of his shit.

He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. In so many ways he was younger than Daryl. Emotionally stunted from the physical and psychological bullshit he had been dealt. The sad thing was, deep down, he didn't really believe that she would fuck with his head. He knew that she wasn't anything like Jenna or any other woman he had fucked around with. He was just too big of a chicken shit to take a risk. And he wasn't sure if what he could give her would be what she deserved and she would know that. Every single piece of him was damaged somehow. A woman like her deserved more than some ex con. He was a reformed fucking junkie that got a kick out of killing. He was a murderer. He was everything a woman like that should run from.

~H~

Andrea ran her finger around the rim of her coffee cup and stared down at the dark liquid, not really seeing it. She felt like a complete moron. A real idiot. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have _trusted_ a man like that?

She didn't know what the pull had been. Certainly looks had played a big part in it. Despite the fact that she had detested all of them, Lori had been right. They were all very attractive men. And Daryl and Merle, once you got past their odd personalities, they really were _good_ men. Especially Daryl. He was a really good guy and she had judged them all horribly. Their father on the other hand, despite the good looking part, wasn't misjudged at all. She had let him use her. She'd initiated most of it, thinking she could turn him around. She wanted him to be something that he wasn't. A good guy.

"Excuse me. Do you mind if I sit down? This place is quite crowded today."

Andrea looked up and couldn't even force a smile. She was a real mess over this. "Sure." She shrugged at the Mayor. The Mayor wanted to sit with her and she couldn't have cared less.

"Thank you. It's Andrea, right?" he asked as he took a seat across from her. "I think we were introduced at the party."

She nodded, looking back down into her coffee. Yes, Andrea the loser that couldn't even sink her claws into an ex con, let alone a decent man. She hated herself for feeling guilty for thinking that way.

"I should have known this place would be packed this afternoon with the weather being the way it is. Absolutely beautiful." He cleared his throat after a second. "I'm sorry, but I have to ask. Are you okay?"

Andrea looked up sharply. Who the hell was this guy anyway? Could the _uninterested_ sign be any more obvious? "I'm fine." She said tightly as she looked back down at her cup. She shouldn't have come here but she had too. This was like her tavern. She came here to the stupid coffee house to unwind. She didn't come here to socialize. Well, she didn't come here _this_ afternoon to socialize anyway.

"So, Dale is your uncle. Am I right?" Philip asked, smiling at her.

Her eyes shot up once more. "Yep. Raised me after my parents were killed."

Philip watched her closely, nodding solemnly. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that you lost your parents. But I'm glad you had such a kind man to watch out for you. From what I can tell he's done an exceptional job."

Andrea averted her gaze once more and a small smile played around her lips. "He is an exceptional man." She muttered. Her smile fell after a few seconds. Why couldn't she be interested in this guy? He was obviously successful. He was an upstanding citizen. Kind and he seemed to be interested in her. Why couldn't she find anything about him that she actually liked. She instantly started comparing his easy personality to Buck's guarded one.

Philip was the type of guy that went out of his way to impress people. He threw on the charm thicker than the icing on a store bought cake. He cared about what people thought. He carried himself with a certain confidence that only comes from a man that has achieved much success.

Buck was the type of man that didn't give a shit what people thought. That was a hard type to find. Most people cared what other people thought, even when they tried not too. He didn't feel the need to impress anyone, since he didn't particularly care about people in general. Buck carried himself with a certain confidence that only comes from a man that has fought hard and won out over adversity. He didn't sugar coat a thing.

Regardless of Philips social status, there was a clear alpha male out of the two of them and Buck was her man. Or had been her man. Maybe. She wasn't sure anymore. Maybe the only thing she had been to him was just another notch on the bedpost. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She sipped her coffee and then grimaced.

"Would you like me to order you another cup?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I was about to leave anyway. Good day for a walk." She said. "Table is all yours." She stood up but then felt a cool hand touch hers. She looked down and couldn't help but notice how much smaller this mans hand was compared to Buck's massive paws.

He pulled his hand back and cleared his throat. "I apologize. I can see that you're a bit distracted, but would you mind if I walked with you for a while? I wont even keep up with my attempts at small talk. You wont even know I'm there. Today would have been mine and my wife's anniversary and I'm in the mood for some company."

Another thing Buck Dixon would never do. Broadcast his personal business in attempts to make a friend. She instantly felt guilty for feeling that way. Maybe Buck could take some pointers from this guy. Maybe he would learn to open up a little instead of pushing people away.

"Sure." She said as she plastered on a fake smile. She really did feel sorry for the man. She had heard about the accident his wife had had.

He smiled brightly. "Fantastic."

They had just made it a little ways past the building when, of course, out of nowhere, the Dixons appeared. Her eyes rushed over Buck, who was looking unbelievable. Why the hell couldn't the man put on a shirt that didn't mold itself to every single goddamn muscle he had?

When her gaze met Daryl's she couldn't help but break out in a genuine grin and without thinking she hugged him. His body went completely rigid, she'd forgotten that, if it wasn't Carol, he was not one that welcomed much touch. She was glad, though, when she felt a timid hand pat the middle of her back. That was more from the boy than she had expected. She pulled back, keeping her hands on his shoulders. "I am so glad you're home. I was worried."

The corner of his mouth turned up but his eyes skittered away. "Thanks." he muttered.

She stepped back, once again avoiding Buck's eyes. He looked angry. More than angry. From her quick assessment he looked like he could kill at that moment. But it wasn't her he was looking at. It was Philip.

She was about to say something to Carol when she heard a deep growl. For just one hilarious second she thought maybe one of the Dixons had started growling at her. She looked down and realized where the threatening sound was coming from. She hadn't noticed it before but Carol was holding onto the leash of a beautifully marked dog. And it seemed extremely agitated.

It was pacing back and forth in front of Carol, ears back and tail low. It probably wasn't a very threatening looking dog for the most part but suddenly it's lips curled back over it's teeth. She took a step back.

Carol was frowning down at the animal. "Blue, stop it!"

At first she thought the dog was looking at her but as she stepped back another step she realized that wasn't the case. It was glowering at Philip and now Daryl was doing the same thing.

Merle took the leash from Carol's hand. "Here, we'll go on ahead of y'all so he'll stop actin' like he's done caught the fuckin' rabies. He's a smart mother fucker. I don't like politicians either."

Andrea forced herself to hold back a laugh. She was used to Merle and his brutal honesty and crude behavior. Sometimes she even counted on it. Beth however gave him a sharp look.

"Jesus, Merle. That was so rude." She admonished.

Merle was trying to drag the dog away from Carol but he didn't want to leave. Finally it stopped fighting but looked up at Daryl, eyes seeming to plead. To Andrea's astonishment Daryl actually nodded at the angry dog and it gave in, as though it's point had been made, and let Merle and Beth lead it away.

"You guys adopted a dog?" Andrea asked after the dog was gone.

Daryl's eyes settled on her and he nodded.

"Daryl got him from Hershel today. He'd been abandoned." Carol explained.

Andrea smiled again. "That was sweet, Daryl."

He wasn't paying any attention to her anymore. He seemed to be trying to put himself between Carol and Philip without anyone noticing that he was doing so.

"Andrea, a friend of Buck's is coming over for dinner tonight. Can you stop by? Maybe early so you can help Beth and I?" Carol asked suddenly.

Andrea couldn't help but glance at Buck. His eyes locked on to hers and she found her mind going completely blank for a few long seconds. "I...I don't think I can tonight, Carol. I'm sorry." She felt so sad to have to say that. She loved going over there. There was always something funny going on and the atmosphere, even in the middle of worrying about a serial killer being on the loose, was always warm. Surprisingly so.

"Why? You got somethin' better to do?" Buck asked in a low voice and then his eyes slid over to Philip's and narrowed.

What the hell was she suppose to make of that? It was clear that he was finished with whatever it was they had started. He made that clear the night before. So really, it was none of his business if she did have something better to do.

"I figured it was time for me to stay home now that there wasn't a threat any longer. You know, seemed like a good idea." She said dryly.

Daryl and Carol shared a look but she barely noticed it. Buck was searching her face now, his wasn't something she was able to read anymore. He still looked angry, sure, but there was something else there also. Regret? She shook that thought as soon as it entered her mind.

She nodded. "I'll be there, Carol. What time?"

"Would four be okay?" Carol asked, sounding like she was really ready to just get the hell away from her and Buck.

"That sounds great." She still hadn't taken her eyes off Buck.

They said their awkward goodbyes, both Dixon men ignoring Philip, and then they were walking past them. She was an idiot and glanced over her shoulder. Buck just happened to be doing the same thing. He turned his head quickly and walked on with the other two.

~H~

Daryl was glad when they finally caught up with Merle. He remembered what Hershel had said about how Blue had acted towards Jim. He had just done the same thing with that creepy ass Mayor and not just that but he had put himself between Carol and the guy. Like he knew the guy was bad news and he knew Carol was the one that he was suppose to put himself in front of. They had ran into a lot of people while they were walking that fawned all over the mutt and he had grinned that stupid dog grin and won them all over. He hadn't acted mean towards any of them.

"What's on your mind, son?" Buck asked as he took the leash from Merle.

Daryl looked down at the dog and then back up at his dad. "I don't like that fuckin' guy." He muttered.

Buck nodded and gave him a dry laugh. "Yeah, no shit."

"What the hell is Andrea doin' anyway? I thought the two of you were a thing now?" Daryl asked as they headed back towards their own neighborhood.

Buck glared straight ahead and didn't say a thing for a little while. "Ain't got no claim on that woman, boy. Don't know why you would think we was a thing."

Daryl knew to drop it then. This wasn't one of them topics that would give Buck the warm and fuzzies.

Merle chuckled. "You kissed her. Right out in the open in front of everybody. Hell, for you to do somethin' like that, it's gotta be love, Buck. You don't kiss bitches." Merle shrugged. "You fuck'em. That's how you roll."

Daryl knew that Merle was treading dangerous waters by the hard look that came over Buck's face but Merle was too stupid to realize it. He really hoped Buck didn't knock him on his ass. "Shut the fuck up, Merle. Just cause that's how you are doesn't mean that the rest of us are like that." He said in Buck's defense.

Beth snorted. "That isn't true. Merle wont put out at all." She said in a quiet voice and then her eyes widened when she realized that she had said that thought out loud.

All of them just stopped in the middle of the deserted side street.

"Beth!" Carol nearly fell over with laughter. Even Buck had to chew on his lip to keep from doing the same and Daryl, well, he just stared at the girl, dumb struck, not just by the words that had slipped out of her mouth but that she had said that to begin with. Merle? Not putting out?

Merle's hands went to his hips and he glowered down at the red faced Beth. "What the hell did ya go and tell'em somethin' like that for? Jesus, Beth! Don't you know when to keep shit behind closed doors?"

"There ain't nothin' going on behind the damn door, Merle. That's my point." Beth said angrily.

Buck lost it. He doubled over, bracing his hands on his knees as he laughed.

"See what you've gone and done? Shut the fuck up you bunch of assholes. She ain't never..." Merle was furious.

Daryl swiped the back of his hand across his face to rid himself of the tears there.

"And at this rate I never will, Merle." Beth was mimicking his stance, hands on her hips, face flaming and indignant.

Daryl actually had to sit down on the curb, Carol joining him, burying her head into his shoulder as she cried from laughter.

"Goddamn it, we've talked about it before!" Merle was irate. His own face flaming now.

"You have Merle. You've talked. That's about all we do. It's... well, it's getting frustratin'."

Merle blew out a heavy breath and glared at Buck who was suffering horribly. He just shook his head and started walking ahead of everyone else, Beth hurrying to catch up with him. Daryl pulled Carol up off the curb and put an arm around her as they walked.

"Daryl?" Carol looked up at him, struggling to keep a straight face.

"What?" he grinned.

"I'm so glad you put out." She laughed.

Merle glared at them over his shoulder. "Fuck off, Carol!"


	55. Chapter 55

**Oh boy. This one is late but it covers a LOT! It's got Bandrea, just like I promised and for those of you that aren't a fan of smut then skip the last part of this chapter. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter. I'm not sure how much more we have to go until the end! Okay, this is a long one so I'm not going to take up anymore of your time with an AN. Hope you all enjoy your Saturday and thank you all for reading! **

Chapter Fifty Five

Merle was pissed. He slammed down the oily rag and took a few long gulps of beer while Buck and Daryl stood there watching him like a couple of fucking assholes. They were both smirking at him and he wouldn't have minded kicking both of their asses out of the garage. It was the very first time that he ever thought his brother resembled Buck. Smart asses.

"So, does it just not work or what? I heard about shit like that happenin' to men before but I never thought it could happen to a Dixon." Buck said as he leaned against the hood of the car.

Merle clenched his teeth and picked the rag back up. "Ain't nothin' wrong with my dick, Buck." He grumbled.

He heard Daryl chuckle then. He turned and glared at him. "The hell ya laughin' at you little bastard? I wasn't even sure you even had one till you met Carol. All I had to do to clear you outta the room was say the word pussy. Never met a man so afraid to fuck in my life."

"Cause you was always too fucked up to get a good look at all the washed up ugly whores you used to bring to the house, dumb ass. Me and my dick have better taste is all."

Merle snorted. "Pussy is pussy, boy."

"Look who's talkin'." Daryl grinned as Buck elbowed him in the arm and laughed. "Besides, it's quality, not quantity."

Merle threw the rag down and stomped out of the garage, their laughter followed him all the way to the back door. Life was a lot more fun when it was him and Buck making fun of Daryl. Now he knew how his brother felt. Poor bastard.

He shot Beth a narrowed eyed look as he stormed through the kitchen. Beth had the decency to look ashamed of herself. She looked down at whatever it was she was chopping. Carol shook her head at him in disapproval. He flipped her off on his way out.

"I still love you, Merle!" Carol called.

"I love you too, even when you're bein' a bitch." He called back.

He knew he earned the shit everyone was giving him. He was always giving Carol or his brother a hard time over something. But it was really starting to piss him off. He was trying to be a decent guy. And decent guys didn't go screwing around and taking girls virginity. If it wasn't for that then he would have fucked her by now. Or if it wasn't for the fact that he actually gave a shit about her. But around here that was apparently a bad thing. Something to be laughed about. Maybe he should just go ahead and get it over with. It wasn't like he'd been pressuring her. Hell, she was the one that wouldn't get off his damn case about it.

He slammed his bedroom door and flopped down onto the bed. That's what he would do. If she wanted it that damn bad then he'd give it to her. At least then she would shut up and he would be able to fit in with the rest of them around this messed up house. They were all a bunch of goddamn sex fiends. He growled into his pillow.

~H~

"Merle hates me." Beth muttered dejectedly as she cut up some potatoes.

Carol glanced at her sharply. "Beth, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. And I live with three Dixons. They say some really stupid things sometimes."

"Did you see how mad he was?" She asked as she plopped the diced potatoes into a pot of water.

"He's Merle. He'll get over it." Andrea said absently.

Carol couldn't help but notice how depressed the woman looked. God, why couldn't they be as happy as her? She didn't think she could get any happier than she was at the moment. Daryl was home and her stalker was dead. She tossed Blue a piece of steak, which he swallowed without chewing and then gazed at her adoringly. This was a great day. "Are you and Buck okay?" She asked without looking up.

She heard Andrea sigh heavily. "There is no me and Buck."

Carol shook her head, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "There most certainly is a you and Buck. He looked downright miserable after you went home last night."

Andrea snorted and then shook her head. "That's funny. He's the one that sent me home last night. I didn't want to go." She barked out a bitter laugh. "He wasn't very nice about it either."

Beth and Carol shared a look. They had both been through the same thing before. "He's scared." Carol said as she caught Andrea's eye.

Andrea frowned. "Buck Dixon isn't scared of anything."

"He's scared just like Merle and Daryl were." Beth said as she focused on the food instead of on Carol and Andrea.

Carol smiled sadly. "It's sad. Everyone in this town that had such horrible things to say about them before could never put them down as much as they put themselves down sometimes. And they are three of the best men I've ever known. They tend to not feel worthy. I don't think I had it as bad as Beth did with Merle and neither of us would have it as bad as you. You can either let him have his way and give up or you can fight him. Beth gave up so I fought for her. Merle pulled my hair." She sighed. "I'm not fighting for you. Buck's a lot bigger than Merle."

"I'm not going to force a man to be with me." Andrea said harshly. "He's a grown man that should be able to take a damn risk on something. I don't have time to play these stupid games with him."

"He took a risk before. Jenna crushed him." Carol said simply. Daryl had told her a lot of the story. "If he's pushing you away it only means that he cares a lot and he's scared that you'll do the same thing she did. Our men aren't very hard to figure out." Carol shrugged.

Beth was frowning. "I feel really bad about earlier. I need to stop tryin' to pressure Merle into sex, huh? It's pretty horrible."

Her young face was so serious that Carol couldn't help but laugh at her, Andrea's straight face lasted a little longer but she, too, succumbed to the hilarity of the words that had just come from Beth's mouth.

"It's true." Beth said looking back and forth between Carol and Andrea. "I should be ashamed of myself. What kind of girl does that?"

She was answered with grins from the other two women. She tossed more potatoes into the pot.

"Beth. Maybe you should go talk to him." Andrea said after she calmed herself.

She nodded. "Now I know how Merle feels when Buck and Daryl give him a hard time. You two are no help at all, you know that?" She grumbled as she walked towards the doorway.

~H~

Buck was dreading going back inside. He knew it was after four so she'd be in there. He thought about going around front but then Daryl would know he was being a huge pussy so he followed the boy through the back door. Beth was storming out as they were coming in.

"What's Beth's problem?" Daryl asked as he went to the sink to wash his hands.

Carol shrugged. "I guess she's sexually frustrated."

"Not funny, Carol!" Beth yelled from the hallway.

Buck tried not to pay any attention to Andrea but he couldn't help but glance over at her. She was staring at him, looking very much like she was trying to figure him out. He looked away, not sure why he was suddenly nervous. He was pissed off at her for going on some romantic walk with that idiot Mayor just the day after he had made her leave. And then he felt stupid because he was the one that made her leave to begin.

"You have fun with your boyfriend?" He asked her as he walked past her towards the fridge. He couldn't help himself. He had to throw at least one barb. "You two make quite the power couple. Real cute."

He could feel her glaring at his back. "He isn't my boyfriend. He isn't even my friend. He invited himself. And it isn't any of your business if I _was_ having fun with him." She snapped.

He stiffened. She was right. What the hell was he doing asking her something like that in the first place? He grabbed a can of coke and turned around, leaning heavily against the fridge. Carol was paying close attention to the salad she was working on. Daryl was inching his way out of the kitchen. No one wanted to be involved in this little show down. Himself included. He just grunted and headed towards the doorway.

He could have sworn that Carol mumbled something too low for him to hear. Then he heard footsteps behind him as he stomped past Daryl.

"Can we talk?" She asked when he sat down on the couch and grabbed the remote.

He glanced up and then, against his better judgment he shook his head. "We ain't got much to say anymore, blondie." he grumbled.

She took a deep breath and didn't say a word for so long he had to look back towards her to make sure she hadn't left the room. She was glaring. "I'm not Jenna and you're a good man. The way you are with your boys and Carol and Beth is amazing. I'm not a stupid woman, I know you aren't a saint but whatever flaws you have don't overshadow all the good you have to give. I care about you and I wouldn't be stupid enough to hurt somebody that I care about. I'll give your stubborn ass a few hours for that to sink into that thick skull of yours and then yes, Buck, we're gonna talk, whether you want to or not." She turned on her heel and stormed back towards the kitchen.

He stared after her, something unfamiliar stirring in his gut. What the hell? Was he that obvious? Why the fuck would she say something like to him? He sat the remote back down on the table and sat back against the cushions. He scoffed inwardly. She was fucking crazy, that's what she was. He wasn't a good man. Just because he turned over a new leaf because he had gotten sick and had thought he was going to die? That didn't make someone a good man. Good men didn't have to wait for their prison release date to make amends with his sons that were fucked up in the head from all the shit their own daddy did to them. Good men didn't have to try this hard to be good men.

This was going to be one really long evening. And here he thought with Jim dead he would get some fucking peace around here.

~H~

Oscar showed up right on time. It was fucked up to see someone like him sitting all proper and shit right at the dining room table, hands in his lap as he listened to Carol chatter away about shit that Daryl had stopped paying attention to five minutes ago.

He glanced around at the rest of them and rolled his eyes. He didn't get what their problem was. He was happy as fuck himself. Merle still looked pissed off but Merle, for all his bad ass qualities, was a pouty fucking kid when people fed him back the bullshit he dished out to them. Beth kept glancing at him but Merle was ignoring her like a jackass. Buck, who Carol had put next to Andrea on purpose, looked like he wanted to run away. He wouldn't look at her and he mostly just pushed his food around on his plate.

Carol's arm brushed against his, and he glanced at her. At least he could count on her to be in high spirits. Her eyes were bright and he was pretty sure her face had to hurt by now from smiling so much.

"So, what do you do for a living, Oscar?" She asked innocently.

Oscar grinned. "Sales and distribution. And sometimes extermination."

Buck chose that moment to almost die.

"Jesus, Buck!" Andrea cried as she pounded on his back to dislodge whatever the hell Oscar had made him choke on. She hauled off and nailed him as hard as she could between the shoulder blades and that worked. Everyone else was gaping at him. Everyone except for Oscar who was grinning like the villain that he was.

Buck coughed a few times but his color was returning. He glared at Oscar. "I can't believe you, you asshole." He rasped.

Oscar just kept grinning but he didn't elaborate for Carol. Daryl was glad. When someone knocked on the door everyone frowned. They weren't expecting anyone and it was rare for people to just stop by. Blue bolted out from under the table and headed towards the foyer with his tail wagging happily. Daryl followed the dog.

"The hell you doin' here?" He asked when he opened the door and found Rick and Shane standing there. For a second he was afraid they were there for Oscar. Wouldn't that be some bullshit?

They both grinned. "Nice to see you too, Dixon."

"Hey guys, come on in." Carol grinned, causing Daryl to roll his eyes. This place was turning into grand central.

Shane and Rick followed them in. "Is this a bad time? We were just headin' to the station and thought we'd stop by to see how everything was." Rick said as they headed for the dining room.

"Nope. Not a bad time at all. You two hungry? We have plenty." She grinned causing Daryl to roll his eyes once more.

"Starving. Lori is mad at me for some reason, I haven't figured out why exactly. Something about Daryl must love you more than I love her because he got you a dog and I've never offered to get her one. I didn't even know she liked dogs." Rick sighed heavily.

"Pregnancy hormones." Carol said with a shake of her head.

Daryl grimaced. He wished Rick would go the fuck away. "What the fuck, Carol. What'd you do, research this shit?" He grumbled.

Shane elbowed him in the arm. "Hey man, you don't wanna give her what she wants just give me a ca..."

Daryl didn't give him a chance to finish the sentence. He punched him in the kidney. Shane grunted causing Carol and Rick to turn to look at him. Shane and Daryl both smiled at them.

"Cramp." Shane winced.

It was deja' vu all over again. He'd done the exact same thing to Merle the first time Merle had ever came over. "I knew it, you asshole." He whispered.

"Calm down, Dixon. I ain't got a snowballs chance in hell and you know it." Shane whispered back.

"Damn straight." Daryl said a little louder.

Carol sent Merle to the kitchen for two more chairs and Beth went to help her fix the men a plate. Now this was beyond awkward. Two cops, in uniform, sitting down to dinner with Oscar, who was a high end criminal and son of a man that was the same man that had hired Buck to kill people that messed with their drug business. Not to mention the rest of them. The lawyer. The farmers daughter. The ex battered wife. The murderer. The junkie. Daryl realized at that moment, when Carol handed Rick and Shane their plates, that they all pretty much revolved around Carol. None of them would ever consider even speaking to one another if she wasn't a part of their life.

Oscar didn't look near as nervous as Daryl thought he would. He shook Rick and Shane's hands and joined in the conversation. He couldn't believe it but it was actually a really nice dinner. He was almost sorry to see it end.

Almost.

Beth and Carol were washing up the dishes when he went into the kitchen after everyone had left. Everyone except Andrea, who was busying herself putting the leftovers away. He grabbed Carols soapy hand right out of the dishwater and led her towards the back door.

"Daryl, what are you doing?" She laughed once he had her on the back porch.

He didn't answer her. He just pulled her flush against him and kissed her until she melted into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, getting soap in his hair.

When he finally moved his mouth away from hers he was grinning at her in the dark.

"What are you doing?" She asked again, grinning right back.

He led her down the steps by the hand and headed towards the garage. "I wanna take a ride on the bike." He said, glancing down at her as she picked up her step to match his own.

"Where too? It's getting late." She asked breathlessly.

"We ain't leavin'. Just goin' on a ride." He smirked.

She picked up her pace once more until he was the one trying to keep up with her. "You come up with the greatest ideas, Dixon." She laughed.

~H~

Buck slipped silently up the stairs. He'd done what she told him to do. He had thought long and hard about what she had said to him. Up until the moment Oscar's dumb ass tried to kill him with steak. He still couldn't believe he'd said that. Good thing Carol was too innocent to know what the hell he had been talking about and Andrea was too busy sad eying her food to pay any notice.

He shut his bedroom door but his, of course, didn't have a lock. Just his luck. He never in a million years thought he would be hiding from a woman, wishing he could lock her out of his room, palms sweating like a mother fucker. Nope. Not in two million years would he have thought he was capable of such cowardice. It was goddamn depressing.

He stripped off his shirt and then stared at himself in the mirror. The scars, although bad, seemed to belong there now. Marring his flesh, cutting through tattoos, just another reminder that he wasn't an easy man to take down. His finger ran across the scar from one of the bullets that Ed Peletier's daddy had put in him. There were two more to match it. He hadn't been afraid that night. He'd taken all three bullets and just kept coming at the man, grinning like a maniac. That had been a really good night. He shook his head at his reflection.

So, he could walk right into a bullet without feeling an ounce of fear, even after the lead screamed through his body, but he was afraid of some little blonde with all her talk about caring and being a good man. He scowled. Maybe she had changed her mind. Maybe she had done the same thing she had told him to do and given herself a few hours to just think about what the fuck she was really doing. She was smart. Surely she had figured out by now that being with him just wasn't a very good idea.

A soft tap at his door had him spinning around, a strange combination of dread and anticipation warring in his chest. He opened the door, ready to face her. He frowned down at a blonde head but not the one he had been expecting.

"Beth?" He asked, a little relieved to see her. "What are ya doin' up here, sweetheart?"

She marched right past him and stood in the middle of his room. "Go talk to your son. He's bein' a real jerk." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

He sighed and let the door swing shut. "What's he doin'?

"He wont talk to me about anything. He's a..." She threw her arms up in the air in frustration and he couldn't help but smile a little. She must have picked that up from Daryl.

He took her hand and led her out of the room and into the hall. "Where's he at?" He asked.

"His room." She muttered.

He crossed the hall barged into Merle's room, tugging Beth inside until she was standing in front of him. Merle was sprawled out on his bed, glaring right at Buck.

"The fuck are you two doin'?" Merle grumbled.

Buck put his hands on Beth's skinny shoulders and raised his eyebrows at Merle.

"You fuckin' ran and told my dad on me?" Merle asked, raising up and shaking his head.

"What else was I suppose to do? You wont even talk to me and I ain't runnin' home and cryin' about it."

Merle snorted and let his head drop back down. "Great. Another Carol. You don't get your way and you run to Buck."

Buck cleared his throat and gave Beth a little shove towards Merle. "Beth, Merle's pride got wounded. Ya called him out in front of the whole damn family and ya made him feel like less of a man when all he's tryin' to do is be respectful. You should be more appreciative of him tryin' so hard cause that ain't normally Merle's style. Give him a break."

Merle sat up, clearly shocked that Buck was taking his side.

"Merle, you stop ignorin' the girl just cause she did somethin' to piss you off. You ain't a goddamn kid. Suck it up and talk to her. Now I'm goin' to my own damn room and I don't wanna see either one of ya again for the rest of the night. Y'all have a problem. Fix it yourself."

He turned around and stalked out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him and ran smack into Andrea, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She was smiling slightly.

"That was really sweet." She muttered.

He snorted. "Like I said before. I live in a juvenile home. Somebody's gotta fix their petty problems." He grumbled as he walked past her to his own room. She followed. Of course she would follow.

"And you take it upon yourself to be the one to solve them?" She asked, coming right into his room like he knew she would.

"Better to deal with theirs than to face my own." He said as he spun around to look at her.

She nodded. "So I'm a problem?" She asked, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice.

He winced slightly. "Ain't what I meant." He said in a low voice, wishing he didn't care if he hurt her or not.

She nodded. "What now?"

His heart started beating hard in his chest and his palms started sweating once more. He was reminded of where his thoughts had been before Beth had interrupted them. His body was damn near indestructible but his insides could be mangled easily. It didn't matter how big and strong he was when it came to this shit and it scared him right out of his fucking mind.

Her eyes raked across the scars that Jim had left and surprisingly a small smile crept up on her face. "It's strange." She said quietly and then her eyes drifted back up to meet his. "Looks like they've always been there."

"Feels like they've always been there." He said, his voice huskier than he would have liked.

"What am I going to have to do to convince you that I'm not out for blood? That I'm not the kind of person that would do something cruel to you just because I could?" She asked as she took a step closer.

Here it was. It was time for him to suck it up and take a leap and hope like hell he came out of the fall intact. "I already know that, blondie." He nearly choked on the words.

Her eyes stayed steady. "So, you trust me?"

Fuck!

He nodded slowly. Just that small gesture of admittance had him feeling very much like he had just ripped out a chunk of his insides and was now handing it over to her. The very last piece he had to offer, dangling on a precipice. For one awful moment he expected her to laugh in his face. Expected her to take away that small piece he was offering and stomp it into the fucking ground and walk away. He'd watched that happen before.

Her face grew serious as she studied him. He was surprised at how absolutely sad she looked. She took another step closer and he froze. Forced himself to freeze instead of taking a step away from her. There was no where to go anyway. She was in the way of his only exit and he wasn't going to run anyway.

Another step had her directly in front of him, craning her head to actually look him in the face. Sometimes being this tall made things like this awkward. The thought almost had him smiling. And then as he stared down at her he was reminded of just how long it had been since he had actually kissed her. She still looked like she wasn't sure what he wanted. He wasn't sure what he wanted either. Not in the grand scheme of things. He just knew that he wanted her. Not just to have around to screw either. He wanted her around for all sorts of different reasons.

"I don't really know what you mean, Buck." She said hesitantly.

He rolled his eyes. What the fuck was it with women needing a man to_ talk_. Like he had to sit down at the table and hash out every single little fucking feeling he had about her. Go into detail about what they each meant and how best to approach each one. He hated words sometimes. So he did the next best thing and picked her up so he could actually look her in the eye without getting a neck cramp.

Her eyes went wide but her legs wrapped securely around his waist, he wasn't sure if it was because she was turned on or simply knew it would hurt if he dropped her, either way, he liked it. A lot. After that one night she had cut him off cold turkey.

"I'm not just going to be a piece of ass to you, Buck. If that's all you want then you've found the wrong girl."

He shook his head, not feeling like articulating feelings and shit at the moment. He wanted her. He wanted to be with her. He liked having her around and when she wasn't around he was a miserable crabby bastard. He wasn't going to tell her all that. The head shake was apparently enough though because she was kissing him now. Kissed him like she used to kiss him when he'd say something particularly mean and piss her off really good. Angrily.

He growled and tightened his arm around her waist. He pushed her hair out of her face with his free hand, running his thumb along the line of her jaw all the way down to her throat where her pulse hammered.

She jerked her mouth away quickly, pulling her torso away from his and looking down, tracing a scar with her finger. "You sure this doesn't hurt?" She breathed.

He shook his head again and pulled her towards him once more by her hair. Just cause he knew she liked it like that.

Her legs clamped around him harder when he let go of the grip he had around her and then tugged her shirt up over her head. He tossed it to the floor and hoisted her up a little further so he would have better access to her chest. Now her legs were clamped around the middle of his back.

"This is... nice." She breathed as he unhooked her bra. "I've never been with a man I could actually climb like a tree before." she gasped when his teeth scraped down her breast. He laughed against her skin before turning around and heading towards the bed. He bumped into the nightstand, knocking the lamp onto the hard wood floor where it crashed, plunging the room into darkness and causing him to curse against her lips. He really wanted to see her.

This was going to be a lot better than that first time. Now he could actually participate. He grinned wickedly when he crushed her into the mattress. He raised up so he didn't suffocate her. Bracing himself on his arms.

"Take'em off." He growled and she instantly started squirming below him to get her jeans off.

"Hey, Buck! Ya alright in there! Heard somethin' break." Merle yelled.

"Go the fuck away, Merle!" He called over his shoulder.

They could hear Merle and Beth laughing on the other side of the door.

"I'm gonna beat that boy stupid." He said right before he settled himself between her legs and ran his tongue right up the valley in the center of her chest, her hands clamped down on the sides of his head and pulled him up so she could kiss him again. God, she tasted good.

When he started traveling back down she almost started purring, the sound causing him to groan out loud. He was glad she hadn't listened to his stupid ass. Glad she was a stubborn ass of a woman and glad that she was eager to let him do whatever the fuck he wanted to her body. A body that jolted when his mouth finally reached it's destination and he quickly went to work on her, taking his time more than the last time they had done this. When her heels dug into his shoulders he couldn't help but chuckle low in his throat.

He wasn't in any big hurry, much to her dismay. They had all fucking night and he felt fine. No pain, no pressure, just time. Her heels dug in harder the longer he explored.

"Buck, please..." She panted.

He didn't listen to her. When she felt his finger slip slowly inside she whimpered pitifully. He still took his time with slow exaggerated movements that were out of sync with her heavy breathing and quick tortured sounds.

He let her suffer, though, relished in her suffering like a sadistic son of a bitch only because he knew the payoff was going to be well worth it. And he wanted her more than ready. He didn't want to hurt her when it was finally time to actually have sex with her, so he tormented her instead.

When he felt her start to tense his finger stilled and then he moved his mouth from her center to her thigh until the muscles inside her stopped twitching expectantly around his finger. He'd bring her so close, over and over but stop there at that last crucial second every single time. She cursed him, claimed several times that she hated him but then he would start that slow process all over again, coaxing her to a brink that he wouldn't let her cross.

Finally he had to let her go and she must have sensed that too because her nails dug into the back of his head to try to hold him in place as he moved his finger just a little bit faster and quickened the pace of his tongue against her.

Her thighs jerked next to his head, heels digging so hard into his shoulders that he actually had to fight to keep her from reflexively pushing him away. For someone that was surprisingly vocal in her anger over him teasing her half to death she was a lot quieter than he would have expected. Her back was arching off the bed and she had to gasp for air. He actually had to use one hand to flatten against her stomach to push her back down and he wanted to laugh when he felt the muscles under his hand flutter and tense and contract just like the muscles inside her were doing around that one quick finger. She didn't scream, just breathed through it, like a trooper. He wasn't sure if Merle was listening so he was glad for her relative silence.

He kept going until the only movement under his hand was the occasional tremor. He raised up onto his knees, barely able to make out her form in the weak light from the windows. He was surprised when she sat up quickly and nearly dove for the button on his pants. He laced his fingers behind his head and let her have at it. When she started tugging them down over his hips he swung his legs around so he was sitting on the edge of the bed so he could shuck them off but she swung around, landing right on his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist and clamping her teeth down hard on his shoulder.

With one arm around her waist he flipped her over onto her back again, adjusting himself just right before he started the slow process of actually getting himself inside her. She hissed into his neck when he moved, inch by agonizing inch, breath catching in his own throat, until finally he was there. He stayed still for a few seconds, letting himself get used to the feel of her. It was different from there first time because she wasn't in control and he could tell this made her nervous.

"You gotta relax or I'm gonna have to stop." He whispered into her neck and he could tell when she obeyed. He was able to move without feeling like he was going to rip her apart. "There ya go." He breathed and then kissed her jaw lightly, moving as slow as he could. She moaned quietly against his lips so he moved just a little faster. She pressed her hands flat against his chest before moving them up to wrap around his neck. When her legs followed suit and went around him he changed tactics and pulled one of her legs up to drape over his shoulder.

He was clenching his teeth to keep from losing it once she started really getting into it. She was a biter, which was something he fucking _adored _about her. When she started trembling under him he clenched his teeth even harder and fought back the urge to join her in her release. He wasn't ready yet. He had been having trouble getting the image of her walking with that Philip prick out of his head and he was going to make sure by the time he was done with her she wouldn't be able to remember the name of any other man she had ever fucking met. He couldn't do that if he let himself go when she did. When his name left her mouth in a shocked cry he slid his tongue across hers, kissing her deeply. He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on everything about the way she was kissing him instead of the way she was vibrating around him, trying to force him to come with her.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed but he knew that she was heading for that edge a third time when he flat out couldn't even think about holding on any longer. He wanted too, but as soon as she tightened around him that very last time he almost collapsed on top of her with the force of it. Every nerve ending in his body seemed to be ultra sensitive, electric currents running all the way down until they poured out of him, leaving him jerking with the intensity of it. He even heard himself whimper pathetically into her neck but couldn't stop himself. He was completely spent by the time she was coming down once more.

He braced himself there just long enough to kiss her one more time before he rolled off of her gracelessly onto his back next to her. She was panting next to him, shaking hands wiping at the sweat on her face.

"That was fucking amazing." She whispered breathlessly without turning her head to look at him.

He chuckled and then sat up, reaching for his jeans.

"You want me to go home now, Dixon?" She asked and he could hear the fear simmering under the false humor in her question.

He felt like shit because he knew that his erratic fear induced behavior was the reason that she felt the need to ask him that in the first place. He sighed and then scooped her clothes up off the floor and tossed them at her. "I spose we could but I'd rather not have to leave the kids here. God only knows what the fuck would happen to'em if I was to leave for the night. I don't know what kept'em all alive this long."

She leaned up on her elbows. "What?" She asked, still a little breathless.

He shrugged and slipped his shirt on over his head. "I kinda like you, stupid. If you wanted to go home I'd just have to go with ya and then I'd be worried all night that they'd end up doin' somethin' dumb while I was gone. It'd be smarter for you to stay here."

She hurriedly put her own clothes back on and followed him towards the door. "I kinda like you too, asshole." She smiled once they were squinting under the intrusive hallway light. She tried taming her hair with her fingers, it didn't work too well.

Buck just about took the stairs two at a time. He was going to fucking dehydrate if he didn't get something to drink soon. He paused outside the living room doorway, almost causing Andrea to run right into his back. He grimaced.

Merle and Beth were on the couch. Merle was sitting up but his head was flopped over onto the cushion on the arm, mouth slack as he snored softly, Beth curled up next to him with her head in his lap, sleeping. Them two were completely innocent.

What had him scowling all over himself was the two in the recliner. The chair was reclined back as far as it would go. Carol was right on top of the boy, straddling his hips and the way they were kissing damn near had Buck blushing, even after everything him and Andrea had just done. Daryl clearly had one hand up her shirt while the other slid down to Carol's ass, right there in front of God and everybody else looking, which thankfully, just happened to be him and Andrea. When he heard a low moan from Carol he decided to put an end to their fun right then and there.

He silently padded across the room and, with both hands on the headrest of the chair, gave it a hard push and then stepped back. When the back of the chair hit the floor the two horn dogs tumbled out into a graceless heap on the floor.

"What the fuck!" Daryl yelled as he raised up on his elbows. When Carol looked up and saw him glaring there with his arms crossed over his chest, staring down at them furiously, she exploded into a fit of giggles right there on the floor.

"Buck, you fuckin' asshole. What was that for?" Daryl grumbled, still lying there like a dumb ass.

"How many times I gotta tell you two to cut that shit out? You gotta bedroom! Use it!" he was damn fed up with this. There wasn't a safe place in this house anymore. "What if Beth and Merle woulda woke up and saw all that?

He glanced up at Merle and Beth as they heaved themselves up off the couch. Beth hid a grin. "Y'all should be ashamed of yourselves." She said and then took off towards the stairs, pulling a chuckling Merle along by the hand.

Finally Daryl heaved himself up, glaring at buck and then pulling Carol up with him. After righting the turned over chair he had Carol by the hand, pulling her along just like Beth had done Merle.

"Night, Buck!" Carol called over her shoulder.

His glare followed them. "Once ya get up there you need to go to damn sleep! You both gotta work in the mornin'."

He watched as they hurried up the stairs, knowing that they'd both be dragging ass in the morning since it was obvious they weren't going to go to sleep tonight. Daryl should start taking pointers from Merle. He never thought he'd think that but it was the truth.

He finally followed Andrea into the kitchen. Having her there just seemed right for some reason. He couldn't believe how fucking stupid he had been. She was right where she needed to be.


	56. Chapter 56

**I'm really sorry about the wait! I had a horrible case of writers block! It was so bad! I hate doing that to you guys. I hope you enjoy this chapter, since it was a really hard one for me! Thank you all for reading! It wont be long now and this will be over. It would make me sad if I wasn't going to start the sequel soon after that =) Have a great day!**

Chapter Fifty Six

"What the fuck is that?" Daryl groaned into Carol's neck.

She stretched and then sat up, clutching the sheet around her naked frame. "My Girl by The Temptations." She muttered.

He groaned and rolled over, putting the pillow over his head. "Go kill'em or somethin'. Why's it always gotta be so goddamn loud?" He cried sleepily.

"Beth and Andrea." Carol said as if that were all that needed to be said. She pulled herself out of the bed, glancing back as she pulled her jeans on so she could admire the hard lines of Daryl's back before she joined the others.

"Beth and Andrea need to go the fuck home!" He yelled into the mattress.

"They are home, Daryl." She smiled and then quickly kissed the back of his neck and left the room.

She met a grumpy looking Merle in the hallway. "What the fuck is that?" He growled, squinting at her sleepily.

Carol listened for a few seconds. "Dianna Ross and the Supremes singing Where Did Our Love Go." She answered with a smile.

"Beth and Andrea." He groaned as he followed her into the bathroom.

"Yep." She said as she handed him his toothbrush and then smeared a glop of toothpaste on her own.

Merle rolled his eyes at her in the mirror while they busied themselves with the menial task of teeth brushing. He spit and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Every fuckin' weekend. Why do they gotta do this every fuckin' weekend?"

She shrugged. It had been six weeks since Daryl had gotten out of jail. She said it like he had spent more than two nights. It seemed like he had been locked up for a year. Those two nights apart had changed their relationship drastically. They didn't argue. They didn't fight and they didn't fuss over anything. It was like they were one unit now. Them against everything else. It had been perfect.

Andrea moved in. It hadn't been a gradual thing either. The day after her and Buck patched everything up Buck had announced that it was stupid of her to pay for an apartment if she wasn't ever going to be in it and asked her, in front of all of them at the breakfast table, if she wanted to move in. She had looked shocked at first. It took her all of two minutes to consider her options and to the astonishment of everyone at the table she had given Buck a stiff nod. It was very out of character for Andrea, but who were they to judge?

Once Carol and Merle were finished they walked back out into the hall and ran into Buck who was coming out of his room.

"Again?" He grumbled as he slipped a shirt over his head.

Daryl came out next, not bothering with a shirt at all as he stormed past everyone, hair sticking up at odd angles and a deep scowl on his face. They followed him down the stairs.

By the time they hit the bottom of the stairs Marvin Gay was screaming about getting it on. Daryl stopped in the doorway, causing everyone behind him to slam into him. Beth and Andrea were cooking breakfast, smiling and happy. Even Daryl had to shrug off his annoyance and roll his eyes towards them. Carol couldn't help but grin.

Buck killed their music and after the obnoxiously loud noise the silence that followed was deep. It was deep until Beth and Andrea laughed at the four of them standing there watching them. Carol grinning and the three men looking extra grumpy.

"What did y'all kill our music for?" Beth asked as she walked past with a large bowl of scrambled eggs.

"Cause it's eight in the goddamn mornin'! And you two do this every Saturday." Daryl grouched as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Carol wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him. "I like it. Saturdays around here are good days."

He snorted. "Saturdays are supposed to be days we can sleep in and then lay around all day. Eat cereal in front of the t.v. But around here it's this." He gestured around the room with his arms before he wrapped them around her.

On cue there was a knock at the door and Carol had to reach up and smooth out the frown lines between Daryl's eyebrows. "You know deep down you really love it." She said softly.

"No, deep down I don't. And we need to start charging these assholes for the fuckin' food they come and eat every damn Saturday." He grumbled.

Carol kissed his chin and then went to help Andrea and Beth. They all filed into the dining room. Rick and Lori were there along with Glen, Maggie and Hershel. Hershel still had to wear a boot but his cast was off so it was much easier on him. He could still get around better than anyone she had ever seen on crutches before.

Blue was grinning at everyone with his whole backside shaking with joy. He was much more enthusiastic than Daryl when it came to all their Saturday morning visitors. Buck seemed just as happy to see everyone as Blue. He slapped Glen on the back, the poor boy wincing at the good natured blow as Maggie laughed and patted his arm reassuringly.

Maggie and Hershel had warmed up to them all quickly after it was pretty obvious that Beth wasn't going to let anything keep her away from Merle. Hershel shook Merle and Buck's hand, like he did every time he saw them, and offered them a wide smile. Blue watched the old man warily.

"I think you have to be one of the few people that dog don't love, Hershel." Rick said with a grin.

"He chopped his damn nuts off. I wouldn't love his ass either." Daryl mumbled around a mouth full of eggs as he rubbed Blues head.

Everyone laughed, except for Hershel, of course. Carol elbowed Daryl but winked at him when he looked up at her.

It wasn't always the same people every weekend. Most of the time Shane came along with Lori and Rick. Other times T-dog came or Andrea's friend Michonne would come over early enough to eat breakfast before she lugged them all off to her self defense class. Morgan even stopped by a few times with his wife, Jenny. Oscar was known to make an appearance as well. A few times he had brought a girl with him. A different girl each time. Carol felt bad for thinking it but they sort of looked like prostitutes. But they were always nice so she didn't mind. It was a new kind of normal and Carol couldn't have been happier with the way her life had turned out. Daryl acted like he hated it but she was pretty sure that that's all it was. An act.

~H~

Merle knew everyone was watching him. He hated that shit. It made him nervous. He just acted like they weren't there as he swiped the rag across the glossy black tank one more time. He almost felt sad that it was over. But it was. Andrea's bike was finished. He'd succeeded in building the damn thing from scratch and it hadn't taken as long as he thought it would. Now he was feeling a little morose. What the hell would he do now that it was over?

He turned around to face his audience. Buck, Daryl, Glen and Hershel were all staring at the bike, admiration clear in their eyes. Even Glen and Hershel who didn't know the first damn thing about the bike to begin with. He had to admit, it really was a thing of beauty.

"And she paid you seven grand for it?" Glen asked without looking up from the bike.

Merle nodded.

"He coulda gotten more than that." Daryl said as his eyes met Merle's. Merle didn't miss the hint of pride in Daryl's voice. It wasn't something he heard often. Daryl may have been the little brother here but he was a man that Merle respected more than any other man he'd ever known.

Hershel whistled. "How do ya think I would look on one of those things. I could grow out my beard and buy myself one of them leather vests that you three seem to enjoy so much."

Even Glen couldn't hold in his laughter. Hershel looked offended for a few seconds and then he chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll take that as a no way." He mumbled.

"So, what's next for ya, boy?" Buck asked suddenly.

Merle just shrugged. He had no idea. He guessed that he could try to find some more parts and then start on another bike soon. Make a little bit more money. That could get him started on something big. Hell, someday he could even have his own shop.

Hershel cleared his throat. "Merle, I know you enjoy building these bikes and all, but have you ever put any thoughts into advertising for repairing them? You have everything you need here and with the money left over from this sale you probably have enough to buy anything else you'd likely need."

Merle rubbed the back of his neck absently as he let that thought sink in. It was true. There wasn't a bike shop, not a decent one anyway, around here. He'd probably make a decent amount of money that way. He still liked building better than repairing but fuck it. Money was money. And it would give him something to do since Beth was going to be busy with school in the fall. That shit was right around the corner. Lucky for him it wasn't out of state, or even a few hours away. She'd go off to school and then be home before supper was done.

He didn't want to be the only one around other than Buck that didn't really do anything. At least Buck babysat. He kept Carol and his brother apart when things started getting a little hot between the two of them. "Ain't a bad idea, Hershel." He said.

"Now all we gotta do is teach her how to ride the damn thing." Daryl said as he leaned against the car.

Buck smirked. "Ain't gonna take her long. That woman can master anything that ends up between her thighs."

Hershel and Glen had come a long way since they first started coming around but sometimes things still surprised them both. Glen couldn't hide the flame in his face and Hershel seemed to wince at Buck's comment.

Merle just rolled his eyes. "Jesus, Buck."

"What?" Buck frowned and then looked at Hershel and Glen. "Oh for fucks sake, Hershel can look scandalized all he wants but he's got two daughters. The man's been laid before, Merle."

"Oh, Lord." Hershel said with a sigh.

~H~

Andrea hated this class. She really hated it. Her legs were killing her and she was sweaty and sore and wanted this to be over. She couldn't believe she had actually suggested this to the girls. She wasn't much older than Carol, just a few years, but it didn't seem that way at the moment. She felt like an old lady. Maybe if she slept more. But there were a lot of better things to do at night rather than waste her time sleeping.

She was snapped out of her daydream by a brutal hit to the thigh.

"Ow!" She wailed.

Carol covered her mouth with her hand, eyes wide as she mumbled an apology. Michonne was glaring at her with her arms crossed in front of her.

"I thought you were ready to deflect that. I'm so sorry." Carol whispered.

"She should have been ready to deflect it. Get your head outta your ass, Andrea. You used to be good at this. You could have been helping teach this class by now. What's gotten into you?" Michonne asked, loud enough for everyone else to hear.

"Buck Dixon, from what I can hear from across the hall." Beth said, just as loud, causing all ten women in the class to laugh.

Andrea crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. "Beth!"

Beth at least had the sense to look ashamed of herself. She stopped laughing anyway, which was all Andrea could hope for.

"Alright, switch partners. Carol, you're with me." Michonne said as she positioned herself in front of Carol, who swallowed hard.

Beth stood in front of Andrea, and she couldn't help but grin at the girl. She wasn't looking so smug anymore. Before Michonne could give them the signal to start Andrea heard her laugh. Michonne wasn't one to do much laughing so she glanced over and saw her lying flat on her back. Carol reached down and pulled her up off the floor. Carol was beaming.

"Now that was about perfect." Michonne grinned.

Carol was muttering an apology but Michone clapped her on the shoulder and demanded her attention.

"You did what I told you to do. You gonna apologize to some man that would otherwise have attacked you? That's what you all need to realize." She said as she turned to face the rest of them. "Sure, you're practicing. You're among friends. You're learning. But at the end of the day, I want to be secure in the fact that when you walk out the door, you'll be able to protect yourselves when you need too. Now, no more goofing off. No more daydreaming." She shot Andrea a look.

She had a point. Andrea straightened up out of her slouch and lunged at Beth, who quickly maneuvered out of her reach and then grabbed her by the shoulders and swept her leg out until Andrea was lying on her back with Beth pinning her on the ground.

"Now is when I should headbutt you right in the nose." Beth laughed and then hopped up, offering Andrea her hand. Andrea was grinning when she made it to her feet.

"Good job." Michonne said. "That's it for today."

Andrea didn't think she had ever been so happy to hear those words. She was sore all over.

~H~

Everyone else went inside, leaving Merle out in the garage to clean up the rest of the mess on his own. That was alright with him. He worked better alone. Even if all he was doing was scrubbing the grease off the tools and hanging them back up.

"How's it goin', Dixon?"

Merle looked up and saw Oscar standing in the doorway. He was probably about the best friend Merle had, other than Carol, of course. They were the same age and growing up with the likes of their daddies was something boys like the two of them could bond over. Merle, unfortunately, had followed in Buck's footsteps and when Oscar realized what a fucking liability it was to be hanging around a junkie he had cut ties with Merle. They hadn't really talked much in quite a few years. Not until Buck got out and Oscar realized Merle had cleaned up his act.

"How's it goin', Oscar?" Merle asked warily. There was something about the way Oscar was looking at him that had his guard going up.

Oscar sighed and stepped into the garage, shutting the door behind him. "I need you to do me a solid, Dixon." He said in a quiet voice that had Merle's eyes narrowing.

"I ain't gittin' mixed up in your shit, brother. And if you bring any drugs around me I just might have to slit your throat. I gotta stay away from that shit."

Oscar shook his head. "The last thing I'd ever do is bring that shit to your door, man. I'm damn proud of what you was able to do. This is somethin' else."

Merle studied him for a while. He looked worried and that was something that he'd never seen in Oscar's eyes before. "The fuck's goin' on, Oscar?" Merle put the socket down and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning his back against the bench.

Oscar rubbed the back of his neck and glanced around, making sure they were the only two out there.

"Fed's are fuckin' around. Nosin' in my shit. I have this shipment comin' in tomorrow night but they got eyes on my wares and my men. I need somebody. I need somebody I can trust and somebody that they wont suspect."

"Shipment? I done fuckin' told ya! I ain't fuckin' around with any..."

"Guns." Oscar deadpanned, keeping his voice low. "The good shit too. Real good shit. MG4's, AK's, SKS's. A shit load of MP5's. And my own personal favorite, Barrett M107's. Five of them. You do this for me and one of'em is yours."

Merle was gaping at him. "What the fuck would I do with a goddamn semi automatic assault rifle, ya jackass? I don't want this shit, Oscar. I'm tryin' here, man. You know that." Merle couldn't keep the disbelief out of his tone.

Oscar shook his head, looking around once more. "Merle, we were like brothers back in the day. I wouldn't ever ask you to do somethin' like this if I had a choice but I'm fuckin' desperate here."

"I can't go back to jail." Merle hissed. "I gotta life here. I got Beth to think about. I got Carol to think about. I can't fuck this up."

"You wont." Oscar said quickly. "You hang out with the local police, Merle. You live here." He gestured around with his arms. "You could do this. You're the only one that can do this. And I wouldn't have you do somethin' like this without it payin' off for you. In a big way."

Merle shook his head. "You done said they know where you're workin'. Where would I even take the damn guns once I picked them up?"

Oscar looked up. Merle followed his eyes and then shook his head. "You been samplin' your own shit! You're goddamn high, aint'cha. If you think I'm bringin' that shit here..."

"I paid off the bills." Oscar said hurriedly.

Merle frowned. "You what?"

"Buck's hospital bills. All of'em. Even the ones y'all didn't know about from when he was sick. He don't owe shit no more. This one favor, Merle. One. You're all I got. My only option."

Merle felt his shoulders sag in defeat. Buck's debt was the very last thing hanging over their heads and now it was gone. That one cloud, vanished. And now he had another kind of debt to pay. "Mother fuck!" He hissed, shaking his head and looking down at his boots.

Oscar took that for what it was. "We'll stash'em in the attic out here. Wont no one suspect a thing, alright."

"How long do I gotta hang onto them?" Merle asked, unable to hide the edge in his voice.

"Until the Fed's back up. It wont take long. This is what they are waitin' for. The drugs are gone. All manufacturin' stopped as soon as I was informed they were closin' in. But if I lose this gig, I'm fucked. I'm dead."

Merle nodded. "Just give me a time. Then I'm fuckin' done. You understand me? As a matter of fact, me and you, we're through. As soon as you get the shit outta here, you stay the fuck away from me and my fuckin' family. If not you wont have no choice but to kill me. Cause if not, I'll kill you."

Oscar blinked and took a step back, dumbstruck. "Man, you don't mean that. You know I care about everybody here. Buck, Carol, your brother, Be..."

"Don't even say her fuckin' name, Oscar." Merle growled. "If you gave a fuck about any of us then you wouldn't have hung this shit over my goddamn head. Handed me a fuckin' debt that I wouldn't have no choice but to pay."

"Merle if I had a choice..."

"We all got a goddamn choice." Merle spat and then turned his back on his former friend, hands shaking.

When he heard the door close softly he picked up a heavy wrench and heaved it at the wall. "Fuck!" He yelled.

He leaned into the bench once more, feeling drained. He'd been so fucking close. So close to freedom and now this shit. He should have put that wrench right through Oscars manipulative fucking head. That's exactly what he should have done. He'd do this. This one last criminal thing and then it'd be over. He'd be done. He'd even come clean to Buck so Buck would know to stay the fuck away from Oscar too.

But those bills were out of the way. At least there was that.

~H~

Daryl watched Oscar walk out of the garage, shoulders slumped and eyes downcast. He frowned, wondering what the fuck could make the guy look like that. He strode across the yard towards the garage, knowing that Merle wouldn't tell him shit. His frowned turned into a scowl when he saw Merle. He looked about as beat down as Oscar did.

"The fuck's wrong with you? This is suppose to be a good day, how come you look like somebody pissed in your fruit loops?" He asked.

Merle looked up and just shook his head, just like Daryl had expected.

"Fine, Merle. Deal with your shit alone, cause we all know how well that works out." He grumbled.

"What the fuck is that suppose to mean?" Merle growled as he pushed himself away from the bench and went to stand in front of him.

"This what you lookin' for? Oscar says somethin' that pisses you off so you wanna fight me?" Daryl said as he closed the few inches between them and glared at his brother.

"You the one comin' in here makin' assumptions, asshole." Merle said as he shoved him backwards.

Daryl was used to this. It hadn't happened in a while but this wasn't something new. This was how him and Merle used to communicate. He launched himself at his brother, ramming him until they were on the floor, Merle struggling to land a blow but he was slower than Daryl. Daryl was able to hit him twice before Merle finally landed a solid hit to his jaw, nearly knocking him off of him, but Daryl hung on to Merle's shirt.

"Get the fuck off me you squirrely little mother fucker!" Merle hissed as he hit Daryl again. Daryl winced and then got in two good hits to Merle's ribs before he was hoisted into the air.

"What the fuck are you two doin?" Buck yelled, holding Daryl up off the floor with both hands fisted into his shirt. He felt like a marionette dangling there like a dumb shit.

"Put me down you big bastard!" He growled as he tried to kick Merle.

Merle took advantage of his prone position by ramming into him, but Buck dropped Daryl enough for his feet to touch the floor once more, still clinging to his shirt with one hand and grabbed Merle by the back of his shirt with the other.

"Boys!" Buck roared as he tried to keep them separated.

Daryl kicked Merle in the shin, causing him to cry out.

"I'm gonna beat the shit outta you!" Merle ground out from between clenched teeth as he kicked Daryl right back.

"Goddamn it!" Buck brought them together and then launched them apart until Merle was on his ass on one side of him and Daryl was on his ass on the other side. "Don't either fuckin' one of you move!" He barked. "Not one goddamn inch. What the fuck are the two of ya fightin' for?"

"Merle's a fuckin', dick, that's why." Daryl shot Merle a withering look as he touched his jaw gingerly.

"He's a nosey asshole!" Merle gave Daryl a look of his own.

"Get up." Buck ordered angrily.

Merle and Daryl both pulled themselves up off the garage floor, still glaring at each other with their fists clenched.

"Either fuckin' one of you touch the other and I swear to Christ I'll take this belt off and I'll beat the shit outta the both of ya. Actin' like a couple of goddamn babies rollin' around on the fuckin' floor."

Merle and Daryl looked at each other and then at Buck. The anger fading from both of their eyes and the fight leaving them both faster than it had flared. Well, most of the fight left them anyway.

"What'cha think you can do, old man? Take on both Dixon boys?" Merle scoffed.

Buck frowned. "Don't either one of you even think about it." He said in a low dangerous voice.

Daryl grinned. "We're bigger than we used to be, Buck. You best remember that."

"I'm tellin' ya both, get your asses back in the house and quit actin' stupid." Buck warned.

~H~

The girls were headed down the back porch steps, assuming the men were out in the garage, when Buck emerged from the garage door and shut it behind him. He strolled towards them with a happy grin plastered on his face.

"Daryl and Merle in there?" Carol asked as she accepted a kiss on the forehead from the big man.

Buck smirked. "Yep." He said as he walked on towards the back door.

Carol frowned after him and her and Beth headed towards the garage to see what Buck could be smirking about. It took a second for her eyes adjust to the dimness inside the garage. When she spotted them her frown deepened. They were both sitting on the floor, their backs leaning against the car, flushed and breathing heavily.

"What the hell happened to the two of you?" Beth asked worriedly.

Merle grinned and nudged Daryl. "We kicked Buck's ass."

Daryl snorted and then stumbled up off the floor. Carol went to him as he wrapped an arm around his midsection and groaned.

"We just saw Buck. He wasn't even out of breath." Beth said as she helped Merle up off the floor.

They laughed, causing Beth and Carol to grin. Carol couldn't help but rub it in a little. "You got beat up by your dad. Two big strong men like the two of you." She shook her head and then kissed Daryl's jaw, noticing him wince.

Sometimes _she_ felt like she was the one that lived in a house full of children.


	57. Chapter 57

**Good morning! Still no signs of writers block! Good stuff. I think this will have three more chapters. I would like to have an even 60 so that is what I am shooting for. There is a bit of Caryl smut in the beginning, in case there is anyone out there that would rather skip it! Thank you all for reading! You guys are the greatest! **

Chapter Fifty Seven

Carol knew there was something wrong with Merle. All night he had been too quiet. He had been too distant. He'd even snapped at Beth over something stupid and he never did things like that. Once he was completely off of the drugs he had been more even tempered than almost all of them. Daryl ignored him for the most part and Beth avoided him after the snapping incident. Buck was preoccupied with Andrea. He was always preoccupied with Andrea, though. Sometimes she even felt a little jealous. Like she was getting cheated out of being able to spend time with Buck. She knew it was stupid but it was there all the same.

She saw Merle heading upstairs and she struggled out of Daryl's arms. She was in his lap in the recliner, which had become their designated spot, even though Buck watched them the whole time from the corner of his eye so there was no making out or anything. But that was okay. She could stay there for hours with her back pressed against his chest. It was comfortable.

She was glad they didn't have to worry about getting up early either. Labor day was the next day and she had another cook out planned. Everyone in the house had looked at her like she was insane when she had announced it but this was going to be different. She had only invited their close friends so her and Daryl weren't as likely to get kidnapped again.

When she finally freed herself from Daryl she hurried up the stairs, not knowing or really caring if Daryl followed her. She needed to make sure Merle was okay. When she heard the water running in the bathroom she barged in.

"Merle?" She said quietly, hoping he heard her over the shower.

"What?" He grumbled. Something was definitely wrong with him.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong with you?" She asked as she hopped up onto the counter.

He stuck his head out of the shower curtain and glared at her. "I don't have to be in a good goddamn mood all the time, Carol. You get all bitchy and shit and I don't follow you around askin' a bunch of fuckin' questions about it, do I?"

She rolled her eyes. "Duh. I'm a girl Merle. You know better than to ask me about it when I get all bitchy and stuff. We all know why."

He scowled. "That's fuckin' gross, Carol. Get out. I ain't gonna stand here and talk to you about your woman problems."

"I know. You're gonna stand there and talk to me about _your_ problems. Merle, if something is wrong you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

He pulled his head back into the shower and didn't say anything for a long time. "It ain't nothin', okay. Just stop worryin' about me. I'm a grown ass man."

He didn't sound angry anymore. He just sounded kind of sad. She hated it when he sounded like that. She hadn't heard that in his voice in a long time. "I'll leave you alone then." She hopped down from the counter and hurried to the door. She had been hoping he would tell her to wait but he didn't. He just let her go.

Daryl met her in the hallway when she came out of the bathroom. He put his finger under her chin and lifted her head up so she would look him in the eye.

"He's gonna be fine." He said quietly, eyes searching hers.

She offered him a small smile and nodded. "I know."

He traced her jaw and then her neck and then he was kissing her. All worry for Merle slipped her thoughts for the moment as she ran her hands up the back of his head, dragging her nails into his scalp. He groaned into her mouth right before she felt the wall hit her back.

She pulled his head back by his hair until her mouth was free. "We have to go to the bedroom or Buck will get mad."

He shook his head and pushed her further into the wall until she could feel the hard length of him pressing between her hips. "I'm sick of the bedroom. We're always doin' it in there." He whispered before he gripped her hips and kissed her again roughly.

When his hand slid up her shirt she moaned, forgetting what it was she was arguing with him about. His teeth sank lightly into her neck as he moved a calloused thumb across her nipple. It didn't matter how many times he had touched her or how many times they had slept together, every single time it was like the very first time.

Hearing the bathroom door open sobered her up a bit. Merle walked out, wearing nothing but a towel and shook his head at them before smirking and then disappearing into his room. It was strange. He usually waited on...

"Where are we going?" She asked a little breathlessly.

"Somewhere that nobody ever goes." He said over his shoulder. He led her through the door at the end of the hall and onto the balcony above the front porch.

"Daryl, anyone on the street could see us." She whispered.

Lights don't reach up here." He breathed as he pulled her shirt up over her head. His hand went right back, picking up where he had left off in the hallway and she thought her knees would buckle. There wasn't a huge amount of room out there but there was enough for them and at the moment that was all that mattered. When lightning flared in the sky she gasped. The lightning was followed by a lazy roll of thunder.

She unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his shoulders just as the rain started hammering above them on the little balcony roof. She felt the wood under her back and bit her lip as he slid her pajama bottoms off. She broke out in goosebumps when the wind blew in and cold raindrops battered her skin. It only lasted for a few seconds though because he was above her, bracing himself on his arms. Arms that were getting larger since he'd started the construction job.

He lapped at the rainwater that ran down between her breast causing her to use his hair as handholds again, her breath catching in her throat until his lips met hers once more. It looked like this was going to be another Georgia downpour. When she turned her head to give his lips better access to her throat she opened her eyes and saw it coming down in sheets. The wind blowing a lot of it inside their small enclosure. Leave it up to them to get caught in a real thunderstorm. They were soaked to the bone and probably freezing but Carol didn't feel the cold anymore. She only felt him. The heat from his skin, the way his rough hands glided over her rain slicked curves.

He gave her no warning when he moved and was suddenly inside her. She cried out, remembered she was outside and then clamped her mouth shut, clenching her teeth together. He surprised her by rolling over, dragging her with him until she was on top. He sat up so their bodies were pressed together and then tugged her legs until they were wrapped firmly around his waist. This new angle had her reeling. Everything seemed to be stimulated at once, these new depths that he seemed to be reaching had her whimpering pitifully into his neck.

"This okay?" He whispered into her ear.

All she could do was nod and make another strained sound.

"Good. Lean back."

"What?" She croaked, pulling away from him slightly so she could look at him.

He just grinned at her, his eyes on fire as he locked an arm around her waist. He nodded and she obeyed, he moved so his legs were actually flanking her hips, splayed slightly. She braced her hands on his knees and her breath exploded from her in a shocked gasp at the new pressure this put on her. Before she had a chanced to get used to this strange new position his hands were at her waist and he was using all his upper body strength to guide her the way he wanted her to move.

Her head lolled back of it's own accord and she was sure that the tension was going to cause her to pass out. He was relentless and she had nothing to bite into, no way to cover her mouth and no way to stifle the scream building in her throat other than try to keep her teeth clenched. Not an easy feat considering that her body was already nearly convulsing and it hadn't even came close to reaching a crescendo yet. Or so she thought.

He changed tactics, not only moving her forwards and backwards over him but suddenly he was moving her up and down also in smooth timed strokes. Her head snapped up, his eyes were on hers, dark and dangerous. She squeezed her eyes shut and she thought that she would surely die. This was such a strange feeling that it almost scared her. It started low in her body and then without warning seemed to explode outwards. It was almost too much, she vaguely heard him growl viciously. Her nerve endings were electrified and she was surprised that the rain wasn't making sizzling sounds on her overheated skin as she throbbed around him, every slight movement seeming to cause another explosion to jolt through her.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and brought her back up so they were pressed together once more, kissing her slow and deep. She was spiraling down and was surprised that she wasn't aware that he had stopped moving. She unwound her legs from around his waist and he collapsed onto his back, breathing heavily, and smiling like the devil himself.

He pulled her down, pushing wet strands of hair back from her face before kissing her. She heard a deep rumbling laugh and pulled her mouth away from his. "Where'd you learn that?" She whispered, her voice shaky.

He grinned and then wiped water from his eyes. "Found a stash of Merle's dirty magazines in the garage. I read it in an article." He laughed again.

She shook her head, laughing with him. "I don't know what's scarier." She muttered.

"What?"

She laughed again and then buried her face into his neck. "The fact that Merle has dirty magazines hidden in the garage or the fact that you actually read the articles in them."

"It was worth the read." he ran his hands down her back and over her hips.

"I agree." She wasn't ready when he abruptly rolled her over so she was under him again. "What are you doing?" She grinned up at him, lacing her fingers behind his neck.

"Just cause you're done, don't mean I am." He nipped at her collar bone and pushed himself inside her once more.

She smiled and wrapped her legs around him. He kept his pace slow and steady and she matched it easily. When she felt his lips next to ear she shivered slightly, it had nothing to do with the rain.

"I love you." He whispered huskily.

She tightened her arms around his neck and moved her head so she could kiss him. He didn't cheapen those words by saying them often, so when he did say it it never failed to send a strange thrill through her, warming up her insides like nothing else ever had before. "I love you, too." She whispered back once he finally stopped kissing her.

~H~

Daryl studied the people meandering around the patio. It was a lot nicer than the last cookout they had had. The whole damn town wasn't there, which made him feel better about the whole thing. He was already familiar with all these faces. He saw them all the time. The rain hadn't even lasted as long as he had last night. He smirked at the thought.

He kept an eye on Shane. He was an alright guy when it came right down to it but he was still pissed off about what he had said Saturday morning. It didn't help much that he didn't make a secret of checking Carol out on occasion either. And every time he did Daryl had to remind himself that Shane had went out of his way to help them out. He wasn't stupid enough to believe that Shane did it for all of them. He had done it for Carol. But he also could have turned things around on Daryl pretty bad, but he hadn't even tried.

"Leave it up to you to fall for a damn social butterfly." Buck said as he sat down next to him.

Daryl snorted. "Look who's talkin'." He gestured towards Andrea who was standing with Michonne, Lori and Carol.

Buck sighed. "I suppose you got a point."

Daryl shook his head. "I still don't see how the fuck that happened. You two hated each other."

Buck draped a heavy arm over Daryl's shoulder and sighed loudly. "Passion, boy. She hated me with a passion so deep that it spilled over." He shrugged. "Spilled over until it was so all consumin' that she didn't have no choice." Buck spoke with a quiet certainty that had Daryl looking up at him.

"Didn't have a choice?" He asked, not getting where Buck was going with this.

Buck nodded. "She was so all consumed that she didn't have a choice but to grab my dick when the opportunity showed itself."

Daryl barked out a laugh that caused everyone to look over at him and Buck.

"You're a sick bastard." Daryl laughed.

Buck chuckled. "Least I'm a sick bastard behind closed doors most of the time, boy. I ain't out on the porch showin' off my moves."

Daryl felt his face flame. "What?"

Buck raised one eye brow at him. "Interestin' moves ya got there, by the way."

Daryl's chin dropped and he scrambled out from under Buck's arm, facing him with his hands on his hips. "You _watched_!"

Buck looked disgusted by the accusation. "I didn't _watch_. I _saw_. There's a difference. Next time maybe y'all should keep it down. I never would have checked to see what the racket was. If she catches a cold from all that I'm gonna kick your ass, too. You guys were soaked to the bone."

"Oh my God." Daryl muttered under his breath as he walked away from a chuckling Buck. He wished all these assholes would move out. There wasn't anywhere he could go to get any privacy. Well, maybe last night he was asking for it since he was the one that took her outside to begin with, but still.

They needed a vacation. Just him and her. Maybe a camping trip or something. Just get away from the house full of people and be alone for a few days. That would be perfect. Just him and her and a tent and a sleeping bag... Maybe he would see what he could do next weekend.

~H~

Merle knew he shouldn't be taking this shit out on Beth but he couldn't very well stop being a dick when a dick was all he wanted to be. She hadn't said a whole lot to him since he had been an asshole to her the night before. He hadn't apologized, even after she had finally come to bed. He was a little surprised that Buck hadn't given him a bunch of shit for acting that way towards her but Buck was a little bit preoccupied now days. That was good because he was just like Daryl. He was observant. If his head wasn't in the clouds ninety percent of the time then he would have surely called Merle out on his bullshit. But he hadn't even noticed and this time Beth had managed to not run off and tell on him like her and Carol usually did.

He hadn't said a whole lot to her today but he knew that he should. He should apologize to her. That's what he would do. As soon as he got done feeling sorry for himself like a little bitch.

He waited until it seemed like everyone was pretty much busy doing their own thing and he slipped away. He wasn't in the mood to deal with a crowd today. He was glad that Oscar had taken the hint. He had been invited but seemed to know that, at least when it came to Merle, he wasn't welcome here anymore. He knew why Oscar had done it. He knew that much. He just couldn't help but feel like this set him back. With Carol's unending fucking faith in him spurring him on he had kicked his demons. He met Beth. He built a bike. He had a family, a goddamn good family that he was proud of, he had the kind of girl that he never would have let himself even dream about having before, he had a future. And now he felt like he was sliding backwards. He felt unworthy of it all. He felt like complete shit.

He shut the garage door and shuffled to the fridge, grabbed a beer and then turned around to lean his back against the work bench. That was his usual spot. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he had turned and there was someone standing right behind him.

"Goddamn it, Carol!" He yelled when the beer sloshed down the front of his shirt. "The fuck kinda person sneaks up on people like that?"

She smiled slightly and then hopped up on the bench. "You have to tell me what's going on with you. I haven't ever kept anything from you. Well, for long anyway."

He huffed. He should have known that she would have noticed him trying to get away. She saw everything he did. He'd never in his life ever wanted a little sister. Now he knew why. "Ain't nothin', Carol." he muttered and was about to step back but she had his shirt in one small fist.

"Bullshit." She growled. Her blue eyes searched his as she pulled him towards her until he was directly in front of her. He could have gotten away from her easily but he found himself needing her. He hated the feeling. He knew he had no right to feel that way. It wasn't the same way his brother needed her or even Buck, even though Buck would never admit to needing anyone. After everything he had gone through with her it was a strange need. Like she could provide solace where no one else, not even Beth, ever could.

He placed his hands on each side of her on the bench and allowed her to wrap her arms around his neck. He still wouldn't look her in the eye. Instead he focused on the freckles that ran across the bridge her nose.

"Remember when I called Jenna behind Daryl's back and almost got me and you both killed?" She asked quietly.

Now he did move his eyes up to meet hers and nodded slowly.

"You've done something just as stupid, haven't you?" She whispered.

Could he tell her what he had done? The thought of the disappointment that he was bound to see in her eyes was more than he could stand. She had worked to get him to this point. She had suffered with him through everything and held on to her faith in him to succeed even when his own brother had deemed him a lost cause. He owed her the truth.

"Merle, please. I can help if you just tell me what it is." She pleaded.

He blew out a heavy breath and leaned his forehead into hers. He would do it. He would spill, just because he owed her that much, and then he would take whatever fit she was bound to throw at him. "I think I fucked up." he said, his voice low and miserable. It was the same thing she had said to him after she had talked to Jenna.

She tightened her arms around his neck. "What have you done, Merle? Whatever it is you know I'm here. You know I love you no matter what, right?"

He hated himself at that moment. He truly did. He pulled in a deep breath, keeping his forehead pressed against hers and then let it out slowly. "I'm goin' tonight to pick up a big shipment of illegal guns. Then I'm gonna stash them up in the attic over the garage." He whispered quickly. "I don't want too but I ain't got a whole lot of choice."

He tensed, waiting for her wrath. He waited for her to scream or yell and tell him what a big dumb fuck he was. He waited but it never came. He moved his head away from hers so he could see the expression on her face. She looked worried but not angry. This was a good thing. Maybe.

"Why? What reason could you possibly have to do something so... illegal?" She asked, frowning.

She had said illegal. She hadn't said stupid. He would take that as another good sign. Suddenly he felt a whole lot better. Like he had handed off half of his burden. It hadn't been fair to hand it over but he could feel the loss of half of the load regardless. "Oscar. He needed it done."

She sighed. "Merle, I know that when you're friends with someone that there is suppose to be a certain amount of loyalty, but you can't do this. You could get arrested. We all could."

He shook his head. "We owe him." He muttered.

Her frown turned into a scowl. "We don't owe anyone shit." She growled and he would have laughed at her use of the word shit if it was under less dire circumstances.

"We don't. Not anymore. Nobody but Oscar." He said.

Her frown returned and her eyes narrowed in confusion. "I don't understand, Merle."

"Buck. Oscar paid off everything Buck owes. All the hospital bills from where Jim sliced him up, all the ones before that from when he was sick. All of it's been paid. All I have to do is this one little thing."

She was quiet for quite a while, searching his face, probably hoping he would laugh and say it was all a big prank. He wished he could.

"But this one thing could ruin us. You know that."

He nodded. "I know."

He knew it was coming. Her wide eyes were suddenly filled with tears and he hated himself for telling her. He should have kept his mouth shut. His arms went around her waist.

"None of that shit now. You ain't no baby." He grumbled into her hair.

"Shut up. I can cry if I want." She muttered. "I don't think we should tell Buck."

He couldn't help but notice that she had left out his brother. "But you're gonna tell Daryl?" He asked, feeling dread settle deep inside his gut.

"I can't lie to him. I can't keep something like this from him." She muttered into his shoulder.

"I know." He sighed.

"He's a real piece of crap for doing this to us." She spat as she pulled back, keeping her arms around his neck. "But... I don't guess we have a choice, do we?"

He shook his head. "I could have told him no. This is all on me."

Her face hardened. "Bullshit. This is on him and when I see him again I'm gonna kick his ass."

Merle couldn't help but laugh at that. "He's a bit bigger than you, Carol. I think he could take ya pretty easy."

"Michonne is a good teacher. I can kick all kinds of peoples asses now. Don't underestimate me because I'm smaller than him."

Merle shook his head. "So you ain't wantin' to kick my ass for doin' this to begin with?"

She shook her head. "He basically forced you too. And he knew what he was doing too. I mean, really? What can we do after he paid off that debt?"

She understood. The relief that washed over must have shown on his face because she gave him a small smile.

"You should have told me from the start, Merle. You don't ever have to go through things alone. I'm always here and I'm probably usually going to take your side. I'm a little biased like that." She winked. "But I meant what I said. I'm seriously going to kick his ass for this."

He was pretty much speechless. She had eased his burden, lifted that weight and he felt better. Still afraid, because what she said was true. They really could all go down in flames for this. But better still because he wasn't really alone in it anymore.

"Just keep your temper in check, little Rampage Mason. Least till this is all over." he smiled, a real one, right before he threw her over his shoulder and turned around to go back out and join the party.

"Merle, you ass!" She struggled to get away but it was futile. "Put me down."

He shook his head and put her on her feet. He felt better. Much better.

"What now?" She asked breathlessly as she straightened her t-shirt back out.

"Now I got a lot of ass kissin' to do." he grumbled.

"Beth?" Carol asked as she hurried after him.

He looked down at her and nodded. "Beth." He confirmed.


	58. Chapter 58

**Here is another early one for you. Two more to go I believe! I'm super excited for the sequel and I hope you are too =) I must apologize to all of you Meth shippers that are reading this. This is my first time with this couple and I struggle a little. I put a lot of focus on Carol and Merle because I love their relationship a lot, but that means Beth gets put on the back burner. I really didn't mean to do that and I hope this makes up for that. This chapter is for you! I hope I have been redeemed. It was a tough one. Brazen Hussy, I hope this makes you less sad! Thank you all for reading and reviewing! Have a great day!**

Chapter Fifty Eight

He found her where he knew he would. She was standing with her daddy and her sister. The smile on her face was forced, though, and he knew it was because of the way he had been treating her. He didn't know why he had taken out all the stress and frustration on the one person that he couldn't stand the thought of hurting. He knew better. When her eyes met his they didn't hold. She looked down at her cup.

He was the biggest dickhead on the planet.

He walked right up to her before she looked up again. She offered him a timid smile. He returned it but he knew she would know it was forced. "Can I talk to you?" He asked, shifting from foot to foot nervously. He didn't know what the hell to do to make this up to her.

Hershel and Maggie smiled. They had no problems with him anymore and if they did they hid it damn well. He wondered bitterly how they would feel about him if they knew what he was planning on doing tonight.

She just nodded, her eyes wide and curious, sensing that whatever was wrong with him before had faded a bit. Sometimes he was in awe of how well this girl could read him.

He led her all the way to the house where he knew no one else would be. He didn't know why he felt so nervous. And he didn't know why he didn't stop in the kitchen to talk to her, or the living room. He just kept a hold of her hand until they were upstairs. He didn't drop it until his bedroom door was shut. He finally looked at her then.

"I've been a real dick." He muttered, watching her face.

She nodded but still had that small smile on her lips. "You really have."

"Would ya believe me if I told ya that I was sorry?" He asked, hoping that he would get away with how he had treated her without her really having a fit on him. She wasn't usually the type to have fits but he knew if their roles were reverse he would have been throwing one way before now.

"I believe you. But I think maybe we need to talk. I know guys usually cringe when they hear a girl say that but I don't really see a way around it. I kind of just want to get it over with." She said sadly. The smile dissolved and he thought he saw her bottom lip tremble slightly.

His heart started knocking painfully against his ribcage. He knew what this was. He had seen it happen to enough guys on T.V. He knew what she was about to do and the dread that filled him wasn't something he was expecting, the awful truth of it causing him to loose his breath. He had really really fucked up big time. He couldn't believe how bad he had fucked up.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and started picking at a loose thread on the blanket. When she looked up her face still matched the sad tone of her voice. He didn't know what to do really so he simply shoved his hands into his pockets and looked anywhere but at her. He wanted her to hurry up and get it over with. Instead she seemed to want to drag out the minutes in silence, letting his mind race. He knew he hadn't been the nicest guy lately but he didn't think that he'd been that bad. Not bad enough for this.

"You seem to be a lot better now. I'm glad." She said as she looked up once more and holding his gaze.

He nodded. "Yeah, I guess I was. Not so much anymore though." His voice came out scratchy. He cleared his throat.

"Merle, I care about you. I don't think you understand how much I really care..." Her voice trailed off and she looked back down.

Goddamn, not this speech shit. If she was going to leave him then she needed to just go. Not any of this "It isn't you, it's me" bullshit. Of course it was her. He didn't need to hear her say it. Hell, he'd seen Daryl get way shittier with Carol than he had gotten with Beth yesterday and Carol never wanted to call it quits for him acting that way. "Why don't you just save that pretty speech and go, Beth." He said suddenly.

She looked up at him, nodding and then wiping the tears off her face. He didn't understand that either. Here she was, ripping his fucking heart out of his chest and she was the one crying about it. It made no sense. She stood up, shifting from one foot to the other before she went to walk around him. As she passed he let out a heavy breath. The simple action of her just walking by hurt. A lot. There was no brushing of arms. No meaningful look. No soft fingers brushing against his knuckles. Just a cold passing as though she didn't even know him. It was this small thing that had him realizing how much he was actually losing.

He didn't turn to watch her leave the room. He just stared at the wall, trying to build some sort of barrier between himself and the onslaught of pain that this was causing. A stirring of loss in his chest like he hadn't ever felt before.

"Merle?"

Her quiet voice had him wincing. Would this be the last time he heard that? He took a deep breath and turned around to face her. He didn't say anything.

"I wasn't gonna say anything but I think I need too. It's never gonna work. Whatever it is you're feelin', she don't feel the same way. She loves your brother."

He wasn't sure he heard her right. He shook his head as though that would make him understand. It didn't work. He was fucking clueless. "Huh?" Well now he even sounded clueless, but that was the only word that escaped the lump in his throat.

Beth looked down and dropped her hand from the doorknob. "You love Carol, Merle." She said quietly.

He shrugged. "So. The fuck does that have to do with me and you?"

She looked at him like she couldn't believe what he had just said. Her eyes filled with tears once more. "Merle, she doesn't love you back."

He snorted. "That's stupid, Beth. Yes she does."

"Merle, she's in love with Daryl. She isn't ever gonna be with you. I just don't want to see y'all hurt over this."

Merle frowned and then what she was actually saying to him smacked him right in the face. "What the fuck? You think I _want_ Carol? Beth that's fuckin' gross. That'd be like... that'd be like wantin' to fuck my sister." He shook his head in disgust. "Jesus Christ, what the hell is wrong with you?" He was scowling now. "God!"

She watched him, her brow furrowed and her eyes still filled with tears. "Merle, she isn't your sister. I see how you are around her. She went and talked to you for five minutes tonight and you were fine once you came out of the garage. I tried to talk to you yesterday and you acted like a jerk. You acted like you didn't even want me around."

He shrugged, not daring to let himself feel relief just yet. "She tried to talk to me too and I did the same to her."

Beth shook her head. "I was with you all night, till you went to bed. You didn't talk to her."

"I talked to her in the shower, you wasn't around."

Ooops.

"You take showers together?" She nearly wailed.

He shook his head quickly and closed the distance. "No. Fuck. You got it all wrong." He gripped her upper arms gently and leaned down so their faces were just a few inches apart. "She talked to me while I was in the shower. She wasn't_ in_ the shower. And I do love her, Beth, but you'd be an idiot to think that I was _in_ love with her. She's my family."

Beth searched his eyes in the fading light streaming through his curtained windows. "I thought that was why you really didn't want to be with me. Cause you really wanted to be with her." Her voice was so soft he almost didn't hear it.

"What are ya talkin' about? I've been with you." He was trying to not sound pissed off but he had no idea what the fuck she was talking about. She was about to walk out on him over Carol? It didn't make any sense.

"You don't wanna sleep with me. I thought it was because you wanted to be sleeping with her. The two of you have this... this thing. I can't touch it. Even Daryl can't touch it. It's all your own but I know she doesn't love you like that."

"I don't wanna be with her like that." he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and waited for her to look at him. God, she really was an idiot. A stone cold dunce cap wearing moron. "You're stupid. Ya know that?"

Her eyes shot up then and met his. "I ain't stupid. I love you. You're stupid for not grabbin' a hold of something that's danglin' right in front of your fool fa..."

He had to shut her up before she said anything to make her look any stupider than she already looked. And she'd just dropped the fucking L word on his head like it was the most natural thing in the world to say. So he kissed her. Part desperation and part need. The thought of losing her shook something in him to the core. He kissed her almost violently. Didn't want her? Stupid fucking girl.

She responded almost instantly, a shocked gasp escaping her when he reached behind her and flicked the lock on the door. This was it Dixon. Crunch time. He had messed with her enough. Now she was feeling like he didn't want her, not that he had done a fucking thing to make her feel any different. She'd bring up sex and he'd dutifully get her off and then that was it.

Those days were over. The risk was too great and he was pretty sure that he had proven his point to her and to himself. He wanted her to be there. He wanted to wake up to that blond hair clinging around his face. He wanted to look up from across the table and see her smile at him. He wanted her there. He didn't just want her body. He wanted her. And it had all backfired in his face. He had made her feel bad about herself. Made her insecure not just with herself but their whole relationship. His waiting and suffering hadn't helped anything. Just the opposite.

His fingers slid up her sides, bunching up the material and then pulling it quickly over her head. He growled at his first glimpse of her pale skin in the waning light. He traced her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue as his hand came up and cupped one small breast. Her breath was exploding into his mouth making his head spin at how easy it was to get her worked up.

His hand left her, fingertips trailing down to her jeans, unbuttoning them expertly with one hand. She was kicking off her shoes as he was sliding them down over her hips, backing her up towards the wall. He had an arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her from falling over them as she struggled to get them off. When they were finally gone and she was right there, completely naked, he backed her into the wall with his body. She shoved the vest away from him so he could pull the shirt up over his head.

When she went for the button of his jeans he grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head for a second before going to his knees in front of her. He couldn't think about what he was about to do because if he did then he wouldn't have the patience to do it. He was aware, somewhere in the back of his head, that she wasn't going to like this first time very much. This time was going to hurt so he was going to do whatever he could to make her feel good first. Something he knew would drive him out of his head so he had never done it before. He knew that one taste was all it would take. He would have to have all of her after that.

He moved her legs apart and without any hesitation at all, while she stood there against the wall, looking down at him with eyes that were blazing with want, he used the tip of his tongue to explore where only his fingers had explored before. Uncharted territory. This thought filled him with even more need. The fact that she was his. No one else had ever staked claim here before. Only him.

She sucked in a breath and then her thighs came together. He chuckled and shook his head, standing back up and kissing her once again. She was hesitant at first. Jesus, she was too fucking innocent when it came to all of this. He moved her towards the bed, shoving her down on the edge and then kneeling before her once more.

She watched him with wide eyes, a flaming face as he forced her legs open further, holding her thighs so her legs wouldn't involuntarily close again. She stayed sitting up, watching him, and knowing she was watching made him even more eager. Her hands were gripping the side of the bed in a white knuckled grip, until his tongue met her overheated flesh once more. As soon as he touched her her hands flew to his head, nails digging into his scalp as she whimpered.

Her thighs trembled under his hands as he slowly coaxed her to that place she longed to go. Her breath was coming frantically, her thighs not only trembling but jerking spasmodically. He pushed a finger inside of her, groaning at the tightness, and then sucked her into his mouth.

She gasped. Her hands clutched desperately at his head once more until she had to use them to keep herself upright as her back arched and her hips moved forward. He kept his rhythm steady, no matter how much her body strained and then tried to pull away from so much sensation instinctively. He didn't stop until her cries died and she dropped onto her back on the bed, panting for breath.

He finally pulled his face from between her legs, breathing heavily himself. He was aching to get inside her, knowing he should feel bad for wanting her like this but unable to think about anything else at the moment.

Before he did anything else he nearly yanked the nightstand drawer open and fumbled around for the sack that held all those condoms that Carol had salvaged from his room in that shitty apartment. He grabbed one and then slid himself up the length of her. It was getting harder to see but he could tell her eyes were still huge and glazed.

"You sure this is what you want?" He rasped, still unable to even out his breathing with the sweet taste of her still on his lips, driving him insane.

She nodded. "Yeah." She whispered and that was all he needed.

He was quickly out of the jeans that were about to cut off his circulation and, like a pro, had the condom on in seconds. When he moved over her, adjusting himself so he was right there, pressed against her, he lost his nerve. He didn't know how the fuck to do this. All he knew was that he was about to hurt her and he was going to have a horrible time stopping if that was what she decided she wanted him to do.

"This isn't gonna feel very good. You know that, right?" He whispered, clenching his teeth together painfully to keep from moving into her.

She nodded. "Maggie told me."

"You sure?" He asked.

"Merle, please." She whispered.

He braced himself and then with one quick, deep thrust he buried himself inside her. He froze as she made a broken sound and put her hands flat against his broad chest. He had felt it give way, could still feel her trying to adjust to the size of him. He wasn't even sure if he was going to be able to move anymore. The thought of her hurting made him sick. The thought of stopping made him want to die. He didn't have a clue what she wanted him to do. He had never felt anything so good in his life and he felt so much guilt for it.

After a few agonizing seconds her hands tentatively moved until she had them wrapped around his neck. He could see tears in her eyes and thought he was going to stop right then and there. He was about to pull away.

"Don't stop." She whispered.

He let out the breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding and moved his hips, as slow as he possibly could. He had to bury his face in her shoulder, biting down gently as he forced himself to stay in control. Her hands traveled down his back and then he felt her legs wrap around his waist.

"You alright?" He asked, moving just a little faster than he had dared to before.

She nodded.

Just that little bit of extra speed had him ready to lose it. Normally he would have fought that but he wanted it this time. Wanted it to be over for her and really just knew that this was probably going to top anything he had ever felt before. He felt it building, reaching a boiling point way down deep in his groin and then he jerked suddenly.

"Holy shit." He gasped just before his teeth clamped together once more. He growled as he finally lost it. He had been with a lot of different woman, done a lot of different things and never in his life had it ever felt this good. He could feel the muscles in his stomach contract with the force of it. He thought maybe he was panting harder than she had been.

He moved out of her as soon as it was over. Rolling over onto his back and tossing the condom into the trash basket that he used to puke in when he was detoxing. Damn, he'd come a long way from that shit. He slipped his jeans back on quickly. When he looked over at her she was on her side, facing him, with her knees pulled up to her chest. Instantly he felt like an awful piece of shit. A very blown away and satisfied piece of shit. But a piece of shit all the same.

"Stop lookin' at me like you wanna run away, Merle." She whispered, that small smile of hers tugging the corners of her mouth up.

He snorted. "I ain't."

"I need to get back out there. Daddy thinks I'm comin' home tonight." She said as she went to sit up. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back down, wrapping a heavy arm around her waist and pressing her close to him.

"I can't believe you thought I wanted Carol." He grumbled into her neck.

"I can't believe you would be surprised that anyone would feel that way. The two of you are really weird, Merle." She laughed.

Once he heard her laugh he felt better. He still felt bad but he didn't feel so much like crap as he had before. She seemed to be alright. Maybe someday she'd even let him have a go at it again. "You alright?" He whispered after she quieted her laughter.

He felt her nod. "I'm fine."

His hand ran down her bare hip and he felt his heartbeat speed up. He needed to stop or he was in some serious trouble. "You ain't still plannin' on skippin' out on me now, are ya?"

She shook her head. "I wanna be here as long as you want me here."

He laughed. "I'm always gonna want ya here, girl. That ain't gonna mean your always gonna wanna be here." He ignored her frown and reached down to scoop up her clothes so she wouldn't have to lay there naked, not that he minded, but she might.

"Why wouldn't I wanna be here?" She asked as she yanked here jeans up her legs. You should know by now that it takes a lot to scare me off, Merle."

He stood up and went after his own shirt so he wouldn't have to look her in the eye. He slipped it over his head and sighed. He was going to tell her. He didn't have a choice. She was right. The more he thought about it the more right she was. Him and Carol were fucking weird. He'd spilled everything to Carol without her having to try too hard to get it out of him. He owed Beth the same thing.

"I gotta do somethin' tonight. It's somethin' kind of bad." He said quickly.

She crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him when he turned on the lamp. "Drugs?" She asked, looking at him with undisguised disappointment.

He shook his head, crossing the room and gripping her upper arms like he had done before. "No." He said, leaning down so he could look her in the eye. "No drugs. I'm done with that shit. I gotta help out Oscar and then after that, no more bullshit. Straight and narrow for Merle. I swear."

"And you have to do it? Is it somethin' that could get you in trouble?" She asked.

He winced at he worry in her voice but nodded. No more bullshit Merle.

He wasn't sure what she was thinking but he could see the mental battle she was having with herself. Finally, after searching his eyes for an uncomfortably long time, she raised her chin and nodded. "Okay." she said, her voice confident.

"I mean it. After this I'm done." He said, relief clear in his voice.

She nodded and laid her hand on the side of his face. She kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

He frowned. "For what?" Surely she wasn't thanking him for fucking her. Not that it would have been the first time he was thanked for something like that. He chuckled internally.

"For not shuttin' me out. Carol ain't the only girl around here that cares." She said.

"She ain't the only girl around here that I care about either." He grumbled.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good."

He shrugged. "Yep." He stood up to his full height. "It's taken me a while but I don't guess Andrea's too bad." he winked.

She slapped his chest and laughed. "You are an ass, Merle Dixon."

He kissed her then, leaving no more room for talk until she pulled away suddenly.

"You best go brush your teeth before you go out there and start talkin' to people."

He laughed and followed her out into the hall. He felt good. He was scared. He hated admitting that he was scared but it was the truth. He had to keep his head about him and do this last criminal thing and then it would be over. He couldn't help but feel a little bit of dread in the pit of his stomach. He shrugged it off as nothing more than nerves. He hoped.

~H~

Something was going on around here. Buck had watched Daryl and Carol as they came back from the garage a little while ago. The boys hand was still holding Carol's but he looked livid. This was the most pissed off he had looked in a long time. Carol just looked worried. She kept glancing up at Daryl and then scanning the small crowd. The only person she could be looking for was Merle. Merle and Beth had taken off a while back ago. He was worried about them two too. That was the thing about living around here. Even when all the bullshit ended, there was still plenty of bullshit to worry about.

"You know, your really sexy when you frown like that."

He looked up from his spot on the low wall and flashed Andrea a toothy grin. He yanked her towards him by the hand, the kids drama momentarily forgotten. "Good to know, blondie." He growled into her hair.

She laughed and then pulled away a little so she could look at him. "I think something is up with them." She gestured towards Daryl and Carol who were now standing off to themselves.

Buck nodded, sighing heavily. "I think I'm gonna let'em work their own shit out. They're grown. They gotta learn sometime, right? Fuck, before I got out Daryl was the one solvin' all him and Merle's problems. Now he acts like a fuckin'..."

"Twenty year old?" Andrea asked, raising her eyebrows and laughing.

Buck sighed again and then smiled. "Yeah. Somethin' like that."

She winked and then turned so her back was leaned into his chest. Lori and Rick approached them, grinning. Lori was still pretty skinny. Couldn't anyone tell that she was pregnant at all.

Andrea and Lori started blabbing on about something he stopped paying attention too so Buck scanned the yard one more time. He spotted Merle and Beth coming from the house and shook his head. Daryl was marching towards him with a purpose, Carol right on his heels. Merle leaned down and said something to Beth, who nodded and then walked away, back towards her daddy and sister.

From the look on Daryl face and the way Carol had grabbed a hold of his arm things were about to get...

Merle's fist landed in Daryl's face before Buck could even finish the thought. He practically threw Andrea off of him as he bolted towards the boys that were now rolling around on the ground. He wasn't the only one either. Shane and Rick were running towards them too. If Shane or Rick got to them before Buck could then it was going to get extra ugly. Daryl and Merle neither one would hesitate to knock the shit out of either of the men.

"Goddamn it!" He growled as he sprinted towards them faster, just as Shane reached them.


	59. Chapter 59

**Okay, I'm sorry about skipping a day! I needed to clear the head a little. Maybe I should have taken another day because once I started writing this chapter it ran away from me. I mean, I got a bit off course but I just kept running with it. I'm sure I'll get mixed emotions about it from you guys but I can go either way with it. Okay, now none of you know what the hell I'm talking about so read on! Thank you all for reading and here is to a safe Friday for every one of you =)**

Chapter Fifty Nine

Daryl was going to kill him. He had him on his back again but right before he could black his stupid brother's eye someone had a choke hold locked in and was dragging him off of Merle. He was about to try to squirm himself out of it and tear into whoever the hell had him but whoever had him wasn't letting up on him enough for him to get away.

"Let me go you stupid fuck!" He growled.

"I will, Dixon. As soon as you calm down." Shane grunted.

"Fuck you! You ain't on duty Walsh! Choke holds are illegal!" He barked as he struggled to get out of the hold.

"Sue me." Shane said calmly.

He stopped fighting to get away once he caught sight of Buck. The man was pissed. He stood there with his arms crossed, staring right at him.

"You done?" He asked calmly.

Daryl gave up. It was still bullshit. Merle had hit him first and he hadn't even had a chance to hit him back yet. But he would. As soon as everyone left he was going to hunt Merle down and break his goddamn knuckles over his face. Shane let him go and took several steps back with his hands up when Daryl spun around.

"Just keepin' the peace, Dixon. No need for you to get pissed at me." Shane said with a smirk.

"What the fuck was that about?" Buck asked as he grabbed Daryl by the arm and dragged him over to where no one else was standing. "Somethin' is goin' on and I wanna know what the fuck it is."

Daryl jerked his arm out of Buck's grip and stormed away. He wasn't going to tell the man shit. If he did then Buck would be more pissed off than he was over the dumb ass stunt Merle had pulled than he was now. He didn't give a fuck what Carol said about Oscar paying off Buck's medical bills. That didn't matter. It would matter if they were all sitting in prison. Not just Merle either, they could all go down for the shit he was getting into.

Carol was at his side quickly but he didn't look at her. Everything had been going good between them and now Merle was going to fuck it up. Because she was actually taking the dumb ass man's side. Not only that, but he also knew that if he looked over then he would probably see half the little party staring at him.

"Picked another good fuckin' day for a party, Carol. You learn your lesson by now?" He asked as he stormed into the house.

"Did you really have to go out there and start that?" She asked, anger simmering in her tone.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot that_ I_ walked right up to the bastard and punched_ him_ in the face." Daryl threw over his shoulder.

"You shouldn't have said what you said. You know how much he's been through." She said in Merle's defense. Always in Merle's defense. He spun around.

"Why the fuck don't you just go find him and make sure that I didn't hurt his fuckin' feelin's, Carol! I ain't gonna listen to any of your shit. You know what he's doin'? He's riskin' every fuckin' person that lives in this house. Me, you, Beth, Andrea. Buck. And for what? Cause he thinks he has no choice? That's bullshit! All Merle is gonna do is go from one fucked up stupid thing to the next. First the drugs now this and next week, who the fuck knows. What I said was the goddamn truth!" He was yelling in her face by the time he was done. He had backed her into the counter and she actually looked scared.

He didn't regret what he said but he was regretting losing his cool that way. This wasn't her fault, and he knew it. He was out of line, hands clenched into fists at his sides. When he realized that that was what her eyes were focused on he unclenched them and took a step away from her.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly, meeting his eyes with a watery gaze. She moved to walk around him but he grabbed her arm, making sure he did it as gently as he could, to stop her. She didn't look at him. She just pulled away and headed towards the hallway.

He was about to follow her but the door slamming shut caused him to turn around.

Buck.

"What was that about? And don't even think about takin' off again. I wanna know what the fuck is goin' on with the four of you and I wanna know now."

Daryl shook his head. "Can't we get into a fight without you fuckin' houndin' us? Maybe it's time you drew the line with all this paternal shit, Buck." He snapped, and then regretted the words as soon as they had left his mouth. He ran a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. "I didn't mean that." He said, looking away.

Buck crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his back against the counter, crossing his feet at the ankles and watching him expectantly.

"Ain't nothin' goin' on. Go talk to Merle." Daryl grumbled.

Buck just stared. Daryl started shifting from one foot to the other. "What's goin' on?" Buck asked in a level tone.

Daryl looked up, meeting eyes identical to his own. "Merle was bein' an idiot. I called him out on it and he got pissed off and punched me in the face. That's it."

Buck nodded and for just a second Daryl thought he was off the hook. "See, I woulda believed that too. Makes sense because that's just how you and Merle are sometimes. But I'm callin' bullshit for this one, baby boy. You woulda told me that up front instead of beatin' around the bush, which you did. And I'm assumin' that since Carol ain't glued to that hip of yours that you did somethin' to piss her off too?"

Daryl sighed. "I think I scared her."

Buck's face clouded over. "What?"

Daryl shrugged. "I was pissed. I was yellin'. I don't know. Ain't like she ain't never seen me throw fits before. I throw'em at least twice a week."

Buck rolled his eyes. "I know ya do. Get your ass up there and talk to that girl."

Daryl jumped at the opportunity. He should have brought Carol up a lot sooner. He nearly ran out of the room. He needed to talk to Carol anyway. She was acting weird. He didn't find her in their room, or Merle's. He checked the bathroom and Buck's room.

He was about to go back downstairs when he had an idea. He went to the door at the end of the hall and looked out the window. She was there, back to the wall, knees pulled up as she stared out between the wooden slats of the banister. He wasn't sure what he should do. He needed to talk to her but he was also too chicken shit to open the door. When he thought of his other options, talking to Buck, he stepped out onto the balcony and looked down.

She didn't look up, even though he was standing a foot away from her. He nudged her foot with the toe of his boot.

"You know, you're the only girl I ever met that wears flipflops with her jeans and hoodies." He sat down across from her and followed her eyes. At least one corner of her mouth turned up. That was something anyway. She still didn't say anything. She still didn't look at him either but wasn't going to let her be like this. Things had been too good between them and this was the first time they had gotten into any kind of argument since the shit went down with Jim.

He grabbed her legs, right at the bend of her knees and yanked her forwards, until they were damn near in the same position they had been in the night before. Now she was looking at him, even if she did still look all watery eyed and sad.

"I'm sorry." He muttered. He hated saying that but he really did need too. He'd flipped his shit all over her and it wasn't fair.

Her hands were tucked into the sleeves of the green hoodie and she used the fabric to wipe at the tears on her face. He didn't understand why she was so upset over this. He wrapped his arms around her and instantly her eyes filled up once more and she buried her face in his chest. He frowned and replayed the fight they had had in his head but he couldn't remember doing or saying anything that could cause this kind of reaction out of her. He actually hadn't really said anything about her at all and surely she wasn't this upset over him being pissed off at Merle. He was always pissed off at Merle.

"What the fuck, Carol?" He muttered into her hair, not sure if he should feel guilty for this or not. "I said I was sorry. I'll tell Merle's stupid ass I'm sorry, alright?" God, he really didn't know how to deal with shit like this. Not at all. He couldn't help but wonder if Buck and Merle had to deal with this with Beth and Andrea. At least he could feel confident in the fact that he had to be better at this than Merle was.

She shook her head into his chest and then he felt her shoulders shake with a sob.

"Mother fuck, what'd I _do_?"

She still didn't say anything. She just shook her head and cried even harder. This wasn't about what happened outside and it wasn't about what happened in the kitchen. This was something else. This was something bad. He felt his heart start to beat harder as his gut filled with dread. He gripped her shoulders and tried to move her back so he could look at her but her arms went around his neck and held onto him tightly. All he could do was hold her until she calmed down. He swore to himself and to any Deity that was listening that if this could only be about what happened earlier and not about something else, something worse, then he would never bitch about anything again. But he wasn't in the position for bargaining with any sort of higher power.

"Carol, please just..."

"I'm late." She said in a voice that was beyond broken.

He froze. Hands growing still on her back and breath completely cutting off. He felt like the floor had just fallen out from under him. He could have sworn that for the next five seconds his heart didn't even beat, until suddenly it lurched and then throbbed painfully against his ribs. He tried to swallow but his mouth was like the Mojave. He wasn't stupid. He knew she wasn't late for work or for an appointment. She was_ late_.

"How late?" He said, trying desperately to keep his voice steady, level, free of the fear that was clawing up his throat and begging for release. He wasn't sure if he succeeded or not since the blood was rushing behind his eardrums so loudly that he couldn't hear his own voice.

"Two weeks." She shook her head against his chest. "I didn't even realize, with everything that happened. I talked to Merle in the shower and it reminded me about it and it just sort of hit me a little bit ago. Are you gonna leave?"

She spoke so fast that he could hardly understand her but the last four words came through loud and perfectly clear. And the worst part about the whole thing, the part that was even worse than the fact that she had to ask that to begin with, was that he could tell by the tone of her voice that she _expected_ exactly that. And he couldn't even blame her for it because the first word that popped into his head after she confessed was "run". It was fleeting. It was there and it was gone but that didn't make him feel any better.

She shouldn't have to be afraid of things like that. There was enough shit to be scared of out there for her to be scared that he'd abandon her and his own... fuck! He couldn't even voice the word in his head. He ran his hands up her back and didn't stop until his fingers were tangled into her hair. "I ain't goin' nowhere. You shouldn't even think shit like that." He said in a thick voice. "If I do disappear it's cause Buck killed me and I'm buried in the back yard somewhere."

"You don't want this." She sobbed.

He took in a breath to try to steady himself. "You do?" He asked in a whisper.

She shrugged. Such a simple gesture for a monumental question. "What can I do if I am? Get rid of it?"

He scowled, anger suddenly clenching his insides in a vice, chasing away the fear for a moment. "How could you even fuckin' think any shit like that! The fucks wrong with you? That ain't you. You wouldn't run off and kill my damn kid. Jesus, Carol."

"I wouldn't. I don't know what you want me to do." She pulled her face away so he could finally see her. Her eyes were all swollen and her nose was red, she looked scared to death. She hadn't even looked this scared when they were tied up in a basement and seeing her like that had a strange effect on him. All of a sudden, he was fine. All of the thoughts and fears swirling around in his head quieted and then stilled. He would handle it. They would be fine. This was what he did. He dealt with shit. He was a little out of practice now that he had Buck and Carol but he could still do it.

"It could just be a false alarm. I didn't mean to freak out." She whispered after a while.

He nodded and held her eyes. "Either way I ain't gonna go nowhere." And he wouldn't. This wasn't the most awful thing in the world. Merle getting busted tonight, that would be much worse than this. Buck getting sick again. That would be worse than this too. This was just... He wasn't even sure anymore. What he did know was, even though he wasn't even at the legal drinking age, he could do it. If he knew anything at all, if there was one thing in the world he was completely sure of, it was that he was able to take on a challenge and come out on top in the long run. If it proved to be true and he was going to be somebody's dad, then he'd do it right. That was one thing he wouldn't fuck up.

~H~

Little bastards weren't telling him a fucking thing. Daryl had tricked him earlier by bringing up Carol so Buck would send him away to find her before he could shake the truth out of him. Merle basically told him to get fucked. He almost missed the days when they were both too goddamn scared of him to keep shit from him.

He yanked the blankets down and crawled into bed. He knew he wasn't going to be able to go to sleep with all the crazy shit that had been going on around this house. And shit just kept getting weirder. When Daryl and Carol finally came back down, after everyone else had went home, he knew something was_ way _off. The way the two of them looked at each other was different. The way they moved around each other was different. And Daryl had that look. That look he got when he was ready to take on the world. It scared the shit out of Buck but he didn't say a word. He just watched them.

Merle was acting just as strange. He was jittery and nervous and when he wasn't jittery and nervous he was sharing loaded looks with Beth. Yep. Shit around here was getting weirder than usual and not one of them would tell him what the hell was going on.

"Stop stressing out over it." Andrea said as she crawled across him to her side of the bed. He almost shook his head at the thought. She had a side of his bed. Their bed. He guessed he wasn't acting much like himself lately either. Thank God.

"You can't tell me you ain't noticed that it's gotten worse." He grumbled right before she kissed him.

She sighed and slid off of him, turning off the light before she faced him once more. "You don't have to know every single thing that goes on with them. So what if they are up to something. So what if you aren't in their little loop. You look like they ousted you or something."

He snorted and rolled over. So the fuck what if he felt like he had been ousted. It was bullshit. If it wasn't something bad then they would tell him what the fuck was going on. They weren't telling him a damn thing and it was starting to really get under his skin.

"Buck, you're acting like a big baby." Andrea laughed.

He rolled back over onto his back and glared at her. "What the fuck are you yappin' about?"

"You really are. I know you worry about them but this seems like you're just mad because you're out of the loop."

He snorted again and rolled back over. "Fuck off, blondie." He grumbled.

Her arm came around his waist then and he felt her laugh against his back.

~H~

Merle had gotten instructions from Oscar on the phone a few hours ago. Beth had already been asleep and he hoped that everyone else was too. Daryl hadn't said a word to him since they had gotten into a fight in front of everybody earlier. He'd expected him to at least throw some dirty looks his way but he didn't even do that. He had seen that look on Daryl's face before. Every time he made a mess that Daryl had to clean up. But he didn't think this had anything to do with him or his deal with Oscar. Something was going on with his brother and it had nothing to do with him.

If it had just been Daryl then it would have been alright. But it was Carol too. She was too quiet. Her mind seemed to be a million miles away.

Oscar had told him there would be a truck parked a few blocks over and the keys would be in it. He'd found that okay. It took him an hour and a half to get to the actual location. He didn't have to worry about talking to anyone. There would be no one there to identify him. God, he couldn't believe he was doing this.

The guns were being stored in an abandoned tobacco barn. Someone had dropped them off earlier. All he had to do was pull into the barn, load them up, take them home, and hide them. It wouldn't be all that bad. Not as bad as Daryl was acting like it would be.

Merle loaded up the truck, keeping his ears sharp and focusing on any sound that was out of place. Everything was calm for the most part, until he drove the truck out. Lights off, engine idling quietly. The barn was at the end of a dirt drive that had been gated off but the gate had been taken down specifically for this job.

He was halfway down the dirt lane, surrounded on both sides by overhanging trees when something caught his eye. It looked like there was someone up ahead. Someone that looked like they weren't doing too good. He didn't dare turn on the headlights, even though he knew that this wasn't any sort of law enforcement. The moon was bright enough to see the man stumbling around.

Merle stopped the truck and against his better judgment he watched the guy approach. He wasn't on the side of the road anymore, he was stumbling right down the middle through the overgrowth in the center of the narrow strip of road.

Even with the bright moonlight he couldn't make out any features. He had no choice. When the guy was about ten feet away from the front of the truck he flipped on the headlights.

"What the fuck?" He breathed. At first he was sure that he was hallucinating again. But that wasn't right. The drugs had been out of his system for a while now. Whatever the fuck he was looking at was as real as he was.

The man, or whatever it was, was filthy and bleeding from what looked like a wound in it's neck. The blood was dark and thick. His eyes were a milky blue and his lips were curled back from his bloody teeth and blackened gums. It looked like it was snapping at the truck and then it ran towards him.

Merle wasn't sure what to do. This was no man. This wasn't even a man that was jacked up on PCP, which was fucking scary. This thing, this was dangerous. He had a gut instinct that if it could get to him, it would kill him. And with that as his last conscious thought on the matter, he turned off the headlights and floored the truck. The engine roared and tore forwards, dragging the thing under, then he felt the double bump as the tires crushed it.

He slammed on the breaks and turned in his seat, staring back at the body lying there. "Jesus, what the fuck was that?" He asked the empty cab.

He gave himself a few minutes to even out his breathing before heading back to the house. He was about to turn back around when he could have sworn the thing moved. With wide unbelieving eyes he watched it twitch and then come up onto it's knees, it's head turning slowly towards him.

Merle wasted no time. He didn't think about it and he didn't let himself wonder what it was he should do. He tore out of there like Satan himself was snapping at the tires. Once he hit the highway he had to force himself to slow down. He was sweating and his heart was hammering. That was real. That wasn't some phantom in his head. That was something...

He wiped the sweat out of his eyes with the back of his hand and then rolled the window down. The air was unseasonably chilly and he felt better with the wind on his face. It was easier to breath. He couldn't help glancing in the rear view mirror over and over again. He was going to keep this to himself. He was going to clean up the front of the truck after he unloaded it and stashed the guns above the garage and then park the son of a bitch in the designated location. And then he was going to forget that any of this ever happened.

**Okay, now that you are better informed, I never had any intentions of Carol being pregnant. Not this soon anyway. I've even talked to several of you privately about it. So that is what I meant when I said this ran away from me a little. Any suggestions on where to take it? It could be a false alarm or we could see just how vicious the Dixon trio would be if they had just a little bit more at stake. I'm a little lost at the moment. One more chapter to go! **


	60. Authors Note

**Hey, you guys. I know this isn't what you wanted to find but quite a few of you have sent messages worrying about why I haven't updated. I have to say, you guys are great for checking up on me! My cousin had a drug overdose Friday and I've been with my family. I'll have the last chapter posted in the morning. Thank you for all the concern! And I'm so sorry for the delay!**

**Robyn**


	61. Chapter 61

**Good morning! I have to say thank you to all of you for your well wishes and prayers and kind words. I'm sorry if I missed getting back to all of you but there was a lot of messages and I had a lot of writing to get done. Just know that I appreciate every single one of you.**

**Okay, I had trouble with this. I was so afraid of disappointing anyone that I lost sight of where I was heading. I don't ever have much more than an idea when I start out writing a story. What I do is follow my gut and so far when I do that you guys are happy with the results. So for this chapter I stopped thinking and worrying and just started writing. I really hope it doesn't cost me any readers but I did the whole follow my gut thing. I really appreciate everyone that gives me advice and input. I treasure that. But at the end of the day it comes down to me and what feels right and for some reason this all feels right. So please be nice, even if you don't want too. And trust me! I got this!**

Chapter Sixty

Daryl was pretty sure he was going to puke. He was slumped miserably in his chair, his stomach twisting into knots. He cringed when he heard a shrill cry from only a foot away. He looked sharply to his left and sure enough, there was a woman picking up a squalling baby from the car seat at her feet. It was wearing a green outfit so he couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl. It's face was an unhealthy shade of red, it's mouth open wide showing a mouthful of pink gums, slobber dripping down it's chin, eyes squeezed shut. Jesus Christ, if this proved to be more than just a scare, he hoped his own kid didn't look like that.

He looked over to his right and there was another one. This one was a little older, sitting up in it's mama's lap, staring at him. He gave it a dirty look but it didn't look away. Instead it stuck it's bottom lip out, blew a snot bubble out of it's nose and started screaming bloody murder.

He looked away quickly and was met by the curious gaze of a woman. She smiled and looked back down at the magazine in her lap. When she stood up to get another magazine his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. She was _huge_. There was no way the woman wasn't in pain. He didn't even know how the fuck she could walk, since the only thing huge about her was her stomach, which was stretched out grotesquely.

He looked back towards the green clad baby just as it's mama lifted it up and leaned it onto her shoulder and started patting it's back. It lifted it's head, wobbling a little on it's skinny neck and it, too, looked right at him. It wasn't near as ugly now that it wasn't screaming. It opened it's mouth a little and burped as loud as Merle had over breakfast that morning. But unlike Merle, who had the decency to end it at a burp, the kid threw up. Not just a little either. This was projectile vomit at it's finest and had his reflexes been a little slower he probably would have gotten a face full of it. But he was to quick to get taken down by the little bald headed shit.

He sprang up from the chair and sure enough a white stream splattered the wall right behind where his head had been. The smell of soured milk hit his nose and he gagged loudly before clamping one hand over his mouth and his arm around his midsection. The baby's mom looked at him like he was the one that had just puked all over the fucking wall. He rolled his eyes and walked across the room, snatching a magazine off the rack on his way over and sat down between two very pregnant women. Before he opened the magazine he looked from one bulging belly to the other.

Could Carol really get that big? He didn't need to think about that yet. This was why they were here. They were here to figure out if she was pregnant or not. And she very well could just be late. It happened. Didn't it? Fuck, he didn't know. He hadn't never been around any women before. He didn't know anything about that shit. Other than he really didn't_ want_ to know anything about that shit.

He looked down at the magazine he had grabbed. He snorted, feeling the eyes of the two woman next to him drilling holes in him, but he didn't look up. He just started flipping through the pages. His lucky day. There was a fully illustrated guide showing the different stages of pregnancy. He held it up closer. The first photo was of a bunch of badly drawn tadpoles banging their heads against a rock. But he wasn't stupid. He knew what they were trying to portray. Sperms and eggs and all that dumb shit. He learned that in sex ed. Above that picture was one ominous word, _conception_.

"What the fuck?" He muttered to himself as he peered closer at the second picture down from that. "Gross." He whispered, grimacing. If Carol was knocked up then by now it could look like a... "Looks like a lizard." His fucking kid was gonna look like the spawn of the Creature From the Black Lagoon? Fucking figured.

"You learnin' anything?"

Daryl dropped the magazine at the sound of Buck's voice. He looked up sharply and then wished the floor could swallow him up. "How'd you..."

"Outside." Buck said between clenched teeth.

Daryl shook his head and then glanced over at the two women on either side of him. Buck wouldn't kill him in here in front of all these pregnant women and babies. He wasn't going anywhere.

"Daryl. Now." Buck looked like he just might drag him out.

Daryl stared at him and he stared back. It was coming eventually. He may as well get it over with now. He took a deep breath and then stood up. He was going to face Buck's wrath like a man. And he really did feel like a man, walking out to face what could quite possibly be his own demise.

"Ow!" Okay, this was much less manly. Buck had him by the ear, pulling him towards the doors. "Son of a bitch, Buck! Let me go!"

Buck didn't listen. He dragged him all the way out to the sidewalk before he let his ear go.

"What the fuck?" Daryl grumbled, putting a hand against the side of his head just in case Buck decided to twist his damn ear all the way off.

"When were you gonna tell me?" Buck asked in a dangerously low voice.

Daryl glared. "There wasn't nothin' to tell." He flinched when he heard a whoop and then someone grabbed him around the waist from behind, lifting him into the air. "Goddamn, Buck! Why'd you bring him for? Can't the two of you ever leave me the hell alone?"

Merle dropped him and then put him in a headlock and mused his hair. "I fuckin' knew it! Good job, baby brother." He let go and them clapped Daryl on the back.

"How long have you known about it?" Buck asked, looking much less enthused than Merle, who looked like he'd won the lottery.

"She told me she _could_ be last night. That's all they're doin'. Just a test." He said, trying to reassure Buck and himself at the same time.

"How long she been in there?" Buck asked.

Daryl squinted up at him and then scratched his head absently. "I don't know. Twenty minutes?" He shrugged, Buck winced.

"When the test is negative they send'em on there way, boy. When it shows up positive then they keep ya longer, take blood to find out for sure. If she's been in there for twenty minutes then it's cause she's pregnant."

"You don't know that." Daryl scoffed.

Buck just shook his head and walked back towards the building. Great. He was gonna wait with him. This should be fun.

"Let's go, _dad_." Merle laughed, throwing an arm over Daryl's shoulder.

"Shut up, Merle. This shit ain't funny." He growled, shrugging Merle's arm away. When they made there way back into the waiting room they all three sat down. Some of the women were giving the three of them odd looks.

"So, did ya just forget that I got a sack full of condoms at home or what, little brother?" Merle whispered.

"Shut up. She's on the pill. This is just a false alarm." Daryl whispered back.

"Jenna was on the pill when she got pregnant with you. Ain't nothin' one hundred percent. I coulda told ya that."

"Maybe you shoulda'." Daryl mumbled as he gazed over at the puke baby.

"Mr. Dixon?"

Three pairs of eyes looked up at the nurse that had her head sticking out of the door. She was smiling at the three of them. Daryl was stuck to the chair until Buck nudged him.

"Go on boy." He urged. "Everything's gonna be fine."

He looked over at Buck who gave the back of his hand a squeeze. The nurse was giving him a sympathetic smile. He nodded and stood up and walked through the door that the nurse held open for him and then he walked with her down a long hall.

"Sorry about the wait Mr. Dixon but once I realized that Ms. Mason was the very same Ms. Mason that had been through all of that trauma with Dr. Rothenberg last month we wanted to run extra tests to make sure everything was fine with the baby. As far as we can tell everything is great."

Daryl stopped walking. His feet sticking to the floor like the soles of his boots had been glued there.

"Mr. Dixon?" The nurse turned around, her face growing concerned as she headed back towards him.

Daryl had that feeling again, like the floor had given way and he was falling. He didn't realize until just then that he had doubted so much. He hadn't really let himself believe it.

"Mr. Dixon?" She asked again, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

He was looking right past her. His mind felt a little numb. Once he actually found his voice he was surprised at the words that tumbled out. "Can you go get my dad?" He muttered.

She smiled. "Of course."

She walked back the way they had come, leaving him alone in the hallway. He had to pull himself together. This was it. It was true. No voice told him to run this time so he took a little comfort in that. And it wasn't like what happened to some guys. Some guys knocked up girls that they didn't even really like. It wasn't like that with them. He loved her. There was no doubt about that. And somehow, even though the reality of there actually being a baby in the picture was less than a minute old, he loved _it_. It was a weird feeling because it hadn't been that long ago that the thought of love at all damn near made him piss his pants.

He heard footsteps coming towards him but he didn't look up.

"Can you give us just a minute? Tell her he'll be right there." Buck said, his voice gruff.

"Certainly." She said and then walked on down the hall, leaving him out there to face the wrath of Buck that he had sent her to get in the first place.

"You alright?" He heard Buck ask.

Daryl shook his head and looked up. Wrath wasn't what he saw in Buck's face. He wasn't sure what it was but there wasn't any anger there. Compassion maybe. "She's..." Daryl's voice trialed off.

Buck put a hand on his shoulder and leaned into his face. "You're gonna be fine. You took care of yourself and your brother for all those years."

He nodded. He was going to be fine. He did take care of himself and Merle. He had managed to keep a roof over their heads. Then his thoughts went back to the baby that had puked. "Buck, I don't fuckin' like babies. They stink and they puke and they look all fucked up..."

Buck held back a snort. "Then you shouldn't have gone and made one boy. Besides, I didn't like babies either. Always leakin' and shit. It's different when it's yours. You'll be alright."

Daryl nodded. "Go tell Merle. I'll go on my own. Can't have you holdin' my fuckin' hand for everything."

"She's gonna be scared to death, you know that? You gotta go in there and let her know that your okay with this. Even if you ain't okay with this. You understand?"

Daryl nodded. Feeling slightly better. Buck turned and walked away. With a deep breath he went into the room that he had seen the nurse enter earlier. Carol was lying on a narrow bed with the top lifted so she was sitting up a little. She was wearing a hospital gown, pushed up to her chest and a blanket draped over her legs.

"You okay now Mr. Dixon?" The nurse asked right before he caught Carol's eye.

He turned his head and nodded at the nurse.

"Good. I thought you would want to be in here for this. We're going to do an ultrasound. I can take a few photos just to get a look to see how much longer the two of you may have to wait." He leaned against the door and watched the woman squirt some sort of gel onto Carol's stomach.

He finally let his eyes travel up to her face. She was staring at him and Buck was right. Her eyes were wide, afraid. He took a few deep breaths to steady his pounding heart and then gave her a small smile. As soon as he did he saw the relief wash over her face and he felt like a real ass. She wasn't afraid of what was happening. She was afraid of him. Or afraid of his reaction to all of this anyway. The corners of her mouth turned up then, lighting up her face. He frowned when he heard a strange sound coming from the machine. He looked over and saw that there was a cloudy gray image on a screen.

"What the hell is that?" He asked of the strange sound.

The nurse looked up. "That, Mr. Dixon, is your baby's heartbeat."

"No shit?" He pushed off the door and came closer, the sound throbbing in his ears, an odd feeling causing his frayed nerves to settle.

"None at all." The nurse deadpanned, sharing a smile with Carol.

He wasn't paying attention anymore. The image on the screen had caught his attention. He couldn't make sense of any of the images, but there was a small blob that had a fluttering inside of it. He knew what it was since the fluttering was in sync with the thrumming sound. He was pretty calm. He could do this. He hadn't ever wanted anything like this but now he was fine with it. There wasn't anything he could do about it now. Now it was there, right in front of him and it was okay.

"From what I can tell you're about nine weeks." The nurse said.

Daryl kept his eyes on the screen. "So it's a lizard." He muttered to himself. "My kid's got a tail." He snorted. He wasn't going to be telling Merle about that.

The nurse laughed. She handed him a few black and white photos with the little blob circled. After that she left the room, leaving them alone. He wasn't sure what to say. What was there to say? She was sitting on the edge of the bed now, her legs dangling off, her hands gripping the edge, looking down at her sock clad feet.

He stood in front of her and tilted her chin up with his finger. Her eyes were wet but she smiled slightly.

"You alright?" He asked.

She nodded and then blinked the tears back and lifted her chin even further. "Why aren't you freaking out over all this?" She asked, her voice only shaking a little.

He sighed and then shrugged. "I ain't too sure. I probably will eventually."

She nodded. "Why did you call it a lizard?"

"Nine weeks, they look kinda like a weird lizard. Tail and everything. Don't tell Merle that though."

She hopped down and then started getting dressed. He tried to picture her all huge like those women out in the waiting room but he couldn't. Not that he would mind it but it was still hard to picture her like that. She was going to be miserable.

~H~

Merle sat in the cab of the truck waiting for Buck to come out. All them women kept staring at him and the room had smelled a little bit like throw up. He'd left shortly after the nurse came out to get Buck.

He had managed to keep his mouth shut about what had happened the night before. He had wanted to tell Beth but she would have thought he was crazy. He wanted to tell someone but there wasn't anyone to tell. They would all say that he had started using again. He thought about the thing rising up on it's knees and then turning it's head to look back towards the truck. Jesus, he saw that image every time he shut his eyes. He'd even dreamed about it.

In his dream he had been a fucking idiot and gotten out of the truck and the thing had charged at him, teeth snapping. It was trying to bite his face so he tried to shove it away and his hands had went through it. Not like an apparition. His hands pushed through the bones and tissue right into it's chest cavity. But that didn't stop it. He could feel it's insides and it was still snapping at his face. Beth had known he was having a nightmare and had woken him up. He had spent the rest of the night with his head on her chest trying like hell to forget about the thing he had seen.

That morning had been better. Something about the daylight washed away the nightmare images in his head. Oscar had called bright and early to make sure everything went according to plan. He had promised him that he wouldn't have to hold onto the guns for very long. It had been a real bitch getting all the damn guns up in the attic over the garage but he had managed. He had pulled the truck in and stood on the roof of it, loading the bags up through the small opening in the ceiling.

Daryl and Carol had been acting weird as fuck over breakfast. Even Beth and Andrea noticed. Buck was watching them like a hawk and asked them several times what their deal was but neither of them would spill. Buck, after they had left, dropped Beth off at home since she had promised Hershel and Maggie that she would spend the day with them, and then, to Merle's surprise, he had driven out to the job site. The car hadn't been there and that was when Buck had cursed and sputtered and took off towards town. The man had a sixth sense about him because he had driven straight to the womens clinic on the other side of town.

Sure enough, there was the car. Buck hadn't said a word. He had just gotten out of the truck, slamming the door shut and stormed through the doors. He brought Daryl out by the ear. Merle couldn't help but chuckle at the look that had been on Daryl's face.

He looked up and saw Buck walking towards the truck, his face grim, hands shoved into the pockets of his black jeans. Merle just looked at him expectantly when he got in and shut the door but Buck didn't say anything.

"Well?" Merle asked after a few silent moments.

Buck let out a heavy breath and then nodded.

Merle felt the grin spread across his face. He was gonna be an uncle. Uncle fuckin' Merle. He was gonna teach this kid all kinds of awful shit. He'd teach it to spit and cuss and call Buck an asshole. This was going to be great. So what if Daryl was young. Buck was younger than Daryl was when Merle was born. If anybody could handle this shit it was his baby brother. Buck still looked grim as hell which was killing some of Merle's good mood.

"What the fuck? Why do you look like somebody ran over our dog? This is a good thing." He said as he watched Buck's frown deepen.

"You really think this is what those two need?" He asked as he finally turned to look at Merle. "A baby? Look at the shit they've been through, you dumb ass. All the shit that's happened since they've met. Your drug problem, me coming back, a fucking killer stalkin' them, you killin' Ed, Jenna stirring the shitpot. It's too much. This is gonna be too much. You didn't see your brother's face in there. What if this is it. The last straw for them? The list goes on and on already and now this. They haven't had any time to just _be_. And now this?"

"They can handle this, Buck." Merle said. He believed it too. Them two could get through anything.

"They needed a break, Merle. They don't need somethin' else to handle, ya know? I already know your brother can handle it. That's what the boy does. He handles shit. He'll do right by her and he'll do right by that baby. But he don't_ need_ this."

"This ain't a bad thing, Buck. This is our blood your talkin' about." Merle mumbled, wondering why Buck couldn't just be a little bit happier about this.

"I spose your right. Ain't nothin' to be done about it now. I just hope your brother didn't go in there and lose his shit."

They sat in silence until they saw them come out of the building. Daryl glanced up and headed their way. The truck was parked right next to the car. Merle couldn't contain himself. He jumped out of the cab and made his way towards them before they could reach the truck. Buck got out too.

"You two alright?" He asked, even though they looked to be okay. Carol looked just a little bit puffy eyed and Daryl looked a little bit dazed but other than that they seemed to be just fine. Just like he knew they would.

They both nodded and then Daryl handed him the pictures. He squinted at them but the little thing circled didn't look much like a baby. He hadn't figured it would. Not yet anyway. Buck was looking at them over his shoulder. He heard him grunt and turned slightly so he could see the look on his face. He was squint eyed but the corners of his mouth were turned up just a little.

Merle glanced back down, trying to make out more definition to the little thing but he couldn't. He was about to ask them how long they had to wait but suddenly the image of that monstrous thing from the night before flashed through his mind and then the most intense sense of dread he had ever felt washed over him. It was so intense that his hands started shaking. What if that wasn't the only one? He knew it had been real and the chances of it being just a singular case was slim. Suddenly he felt the need to tell them everything. The only thing that he could think about was keeping the baby safe. Keeping it as far away from danger as he possibly could.

"Merle?" Carol's quiet voice penetrated his disturbing thoughts and his eyes shot up to meet hers. Daryl took the pictures from him and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Daryl asked as he shoved the pictures in his back pocket.

Merle forced a smile and shook his head. "Nothin'. How long we gotta wait?" He asked instead of pouring all his fears right onto their heads.

"Close to seven months." Carol said with a shake of her head. "I'm gonna look like a disgusting cow." She muttered.

Buck wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "No you wont." He kissed the top of her head and then gave her a small shove towards the car. "You two get your asses back to work. Now that I know what the hell the two of you have been up too I can go home and get a little bit of shut eye. I didn't sleep for shit last night."

"Cause you're a nosy bastard." Merle muttered.

Buck shook his head and grumbled something as he climbed back into the truck.

~H~

She couldn't keep her mind on her work. She had screwed up the payroll sheets twice and Morgan finally told her that it was time to call it a day. That was fine with her because she felt sick to her stomach and wanted nothing more than to go the hell home and relax. Today had been a real emotional roller coaster. She had been terrified at Daryl's reaction and then the nurse had came in and told her that he was talking to his father she had been even more terrified. She should have known Buck would find out sooner than she wanted him too. That was what Buck did.

But Daryl had surprised her. He had been wide eyed and pale when he had came into the room but he was trying so hard to reassure her. She'd been dreading seeing him and then he had completely surprised her. Especially once they could actually hear the heart beating. That had shocked her speechless but he had seemed to be fascinated by the sound. He hadn't looked scared at all anymore and it was that moment that she knew they would be okay. He would make it okay.

She was kind of numb about it herself. Or she had been. She had been so afraid of him that she hadn't really thought much about herself at the time. How did she feel about all of this? She was surprised at the answer to that. She was fine. She was more than fine. She knew how stupid it sounded considering the fact that they hadn't even been together for very long. Technically she had been pregnant through most of their whole relationship. He was barely twenty years old but that didn't seem to bother her either. He was capable of anything and they would be okay. With Merle and Buck around this wasn't going to be as hard as it could be. Jesus, it would have been so much worse if this had happened with Ed. She would have really considered abortion then. There was no way she could have his child. This was different. Her and Daryl were different.

Merle was hovering over her and it was cute at first but now he was just getting on her nerves. The only person that wasn't treating her any different was Blue. Like right now. He was lying next to her on the couch getting his belly rubbed while Merle kept glancing at her from where he sat at the other end, her feet propped up in his lap.

"You alright?" He asked for the eleventh time since she had sprawled out on the couch.

"I'm fine, Merle. Still fine." She sighed.

"You want me to get ya somethin'?" He asked... again.

She shook her head and even the dog groaned in annoyance.

Blue lifted his head, the ear that stood up, twitching for a moment before he bolted off the couch, growling low in his throat. He bolted for the foyer right before someone knocked on the door. Merle moved her feet and then stood up quickly as Buck and Daryl came in from the kitchen. It wasn't Andrea or Beth. They both had keys and wouldn't knock. It wasn't uncommon for people to just drop by but they usually called first.

She got up to follow the others when she suddenly heard Blue growl viciously and Buck curse. She hurried to the foyer and there was Buck, clinging to Blue's harness, pulling the dog back as it lunged at whoever had stopped by.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Carol asked as she went to see who was there.

Philip Blake was standing there and was eying Blue nervously. "You sure that dog is safe to have around?" He asked as he glanced up at her and Daryl.

"He's never acted like this towards anyone else." Carol said in an apologetic tone.

"The fuck he ain't." Daryl growled.

Carol glanced up at him and frowned at his angry face and tense posture. "What?"

"Hershel told me he acted the same way when Jim came into his clinic. He's smart."

Carol glanced back at Philip who was studying Daryl. He finally smiled when he looked down at her. "Well, you can rest assured that I am no Jim Rothenburg."

"Yea?" Daryl glared. "And you can rest assured that if you was, you would end up in the same boat he's in."

Philip's eyes grew hard but the smile never left his face. "Well, I just came here because I wanted to talk to you for a moment. I have an offer for you that I think you would be interested in." He said to Carol.

Carol nodded and was about to go out onto the porch, away from a snarling and growling Blue, when Daryl grabbed her by the arm.

"You got something to say to her you can say it to the rest of us too." He snapped.

"Daryl." She looked at him, hoping he would get the message and just drop his hand. He didn't. Now Merle was eyeballing the man too.

She rolled her eyes and stepped out on the porch anyway, Daryl following her with his hand still on her arm.

Philip glanced from Daryl's face to her own and seemed to understand pretty quickly that he wasn't going to get out from under Daryl's hard watchful gaze. Not as long as he wanted to talk to Carol. "Okay then." He said as Carol shut the door behind them on Blues loud barking. "I, unfortunately, had to let go of my secretary this morning and as soon as the job became available I thought of you. The benefits are outstanding and the job pays very well."

Carol was surprised to say the least. Here, the Mayor, comes to her house to seek her out for a job. One with great benefits, and more money. She should have been jumping on the opportunity but there was something in her gut that told her to be leery. She glanced at Daryl who was watching her carefully.

"Thank you, Mr. Blake, but I'm happy working for Morgan. I couldn't just up and leave him."

His smile fell. "Well, I understand you enjoying your job, Carol. But you have a little more to think about now than just yourself. Word around town is that you're expecting. When I say that you would have outstanding benefits, I really mean that. You wouldn't have to foot the financial burden of the doctors appointments or the cost of care and delivery."

Carol frowned. "How did you even know about that? The only people that know about this is family and I know none of them called you." She was starting to feel extremely uneasy for some reason.

He shrugged. "Your car was spotted at the womens clinic today. I just figured that it meant you were expecting. If I'm wrong then I apologize but the offer still stands."

She shook her head. "No thank you." She said, the tension clear in her voice even to her own ears.

Without another word she took Daryl's hand and walked back inside, shutting the door firmly in the face of a shocked looking Philip Blake.

Daryl was watching her worriedly. "What was that? You ain't usually the rude one. That's my job." He smirked.

She shook her head and looked down as Blue trotted towards her and then pressed himself against her legs. She bent down and rubbed him behind his ears. "I don't know. Just a feeling I guess."

He nodded. "Me too."

"Hey, y'all might wanna come in here and see this." Merle called from the living room.

Daryl grabbed her hand and they walked into the living room, standing behind the couch that Merle was now sprawled on. Buck was in the chair, leaning forward, watching avidly.

It was some kind of emergency bulletin. The anchorman looking as grim as Buck had when they had emerged from the clinic earlier.

"... can't say for sure what it is, whether it's a virus or something else, but people are advised to stay inside, especially after dark, several counties are already under quarantine. If you notice someone acting strange or violent you should report it to your local authorities as soon as possible. Do not try to approach someone that may be infected. The military is on the scene in several major cities where cases are rapidly rising..."

Carol felt Daryl's arms come around her from behind right before Merle jumped up from his spot on the couch. His face was pale, eyes wide.

"Merle, what is it?" She whispered. She wasn't sure why she was whispering at all.

He glanced at the television once more and then looked back at her, eyes raking down from her face to her stomach that was now covered by Daryl's hands. "This ain't no goddamn virus." He said, face growing even more pale. "I saw somethin' last night. Somethin' real fucked up and I'm pretty sure it has somethin' to do with this virus bullshit they're talkin' about."

"What'd you see?" Buck asked.

Merle shook his head, not taking his eyes off Carol's. "Somethin' came at me last night. Came at the truck. It was a man but he was all fucked up. I ran him over."

"Jesus Christ, Merle." Daryl barked, causing her to jump a little. "You ran somebody over?"

Merle shook his head. "No, it wasn't a somebody... it was a some_thing._ And it didn't kill it. The fuckin' thing started to get back up. Turned it's ugly head and looked right the fuck at the truck before I got the hell outta dodge."

Buck narrowed his eyes. "Merle, please tell me you ain't serious. You're back on the shit, ain't ya? Mother fuck, Merle!"

Merle shook his head. "I wasn't on shit! That's why I didn't tell you guys what I saw. I knew what you would say about it."

Carol felt panic setting in. If he said he saw it then she believed him. She knew Merle. He would never do something as stupid as taking drugs again. She knew how hard he had fought to get off of them. If he said he saw it then that's what he saw. "I believe you. And you think the person was infected?" She asked.

He shook his head slowly. "I swear to God, Carol. This person wasn't infected with shit. This person was fuckin'... dead."

She covered Daryl's hands with her own and leaned her back into his chest.

She happened to glance down at the screen once more and then pointed to it. Merle turned and watched in horror. There, strapped to what looked like a hospital bed was a hideous woman. Her skin was mottled gray, her eyes a milky blue. She was knashing her teeth at the men standing around the bed. They were dressed in full white suits as they studied her. When those eyes looked right into the camera, the thing started growling and lunging as far as she could.

"Merle?" Carol whispered as she looked into the things eyes.

"Yeah?" He croaked.

"Is that what you saw last night?" She asked.

"Jesus." Buck breathed.

Merle nodded and then swallowed hard. He turned away from the thing and met her eyes once more. "I'm tellin' ya. This ain't no virus. That thing is dead."

Daryl's arms tightened around her.

"We need to go get those guns." She heard herself say without even thinking about it.

"What?" Buck asked, shock clear in his voice.

"We need to get the guns and get Beth and Andrea here as soon as we can. They're talking about curfews. They'll be stuck wherever they are."

"What guns?" Buck pressed.

Carol looked up, meeting his eyes. "The ones that are gonna keep those things away from us." She said as she pointed to the television once more.

"How many do you think are out there?" Daryl asked.

Merle shrugged. "No clue. But there has to be a lot. If they are bringin' in military like that. We need to at least be prepared just in case."

Daryl finally dropped his arms from around her. "Let's go get'em. I don't like feelin' like some kind of target. We'll tell ya all about the guns after we get'em inside, Buck. Let's go." He called over his shoulder as he hurried down the hall.

Merle and Buck followed him, leaving her and Blue standing there behind the couch. The dog let out a low whine as she stared at the television. They were showing clips of the things in the streets in some city, hopefully a city far away from her town. But Merle had already seen one of these things and it was close. They needed to get there asses away. Find a safe place to go.

Her jaw dropped when right there, in front of her eyes, one of the things grabbed a hold of a man that was running by and bit a chunk out of his arm, the man screamed and flailed but two other monsters joined in the fray, biting off chunks before the camera stopped rolling.

She unconsciously put her hand over her stomach and looked down at Blue right before she ran to the bathroom and threw up. By the time she was done the men had the guns in the living room. Buck looked furious. She really didn't blame him at all.

"We're gonna be fine." Merle muttered as he started stashing guns under the couch.

"They eat people." She heard herself say.

All three heads snapped up to look at her.

"The fuck are you talkin' about?" Daryl asked.

She pointed to the T.V. "It showed it on there. They ate a man right before the footage cut off." She felt sick again.

The phone ringing had them all flinching. She hurried to pick it up. Before she could even say hello Beth was yelling in her ear for someone to come out to the farm and pick them up. She could barely understand the girl, other than her claiming that there was something in the barn.

By the time Carol could tell her Merle was on his way Beth had calmed down enough to at least listen to her. Merle was already heading towards the back, rifle in hand as Carol informed Beth to make sure her, Hershel and Maggie were ready to leave by the time Merle got there. She hung up.

Daryl was right there when she turned around. "Maybe you should get on the phone, call Andrea at her firm. We need to stick together for this weird shit." He grumbled.

She nodded and was about to turn around when he caught her by the arms, forcing her to look up at him. When her eyes met his he was staring at her fiercely.

"I ain't gonna let nothin' happen to you, ya hear me?" He growled.

She nodded, but the image of those things on the television had her doubting. This was something bad. Really bad. And she felt the weight of her fear pressing the breath out of her lungs. He would try. All three of them would try to keep her safe. But this was one thing that just might prove to be to big for even the Dixon's to handle.

**So, I did it. Right before the world turns to complete crap I go and complicate things. But I really think you will all like where this is leading. Even those of you that don't agree with the pregnancy thing, just give it a chance.**

**I have to give credit where credit is due. If you have been moved, entertained, humored, or shocked by anything I've written, then Axelrocks is the girl you need to thank. I hate to sound cliche but I would be completely lost without her. I never would have finished my first story and I never would have gotten this AU off the ground at all and I certainly wouldn't have a sequel in the works if it wasn't for her. She puts in long hours keeping my writing flowing. She's my sister, plain and simple. So, thank you Bekah! I love you!**

**There was such an overwhelming response to this story that I can't possibly name off every single person that has inspired me. But I hope you know that I love you all for being so supportive! **

**I'm taking a week off. One week to gather my wits, deal with family stuff and refresh my brain a bit and then I'll post the first chapter of the sequel! I hope I see you all for that one!**


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